Signs it is Time to Have an Electrical Contractor Upgrade Your Service Panel Living in an older home?

It is possible that the electric panel that came installed in your home is much too old and cannot handle the stress of your everyday electric needs. Twenty to thirty years ago, energy demands were much less than they are today. Before, homes only needed up to 60-amp electrical service, but now the average new home has up to 200 amps with the electric panel handling up to forty 15-amp circuit breakers which has become standard equipment.

If your panel comes with screw-in fuses, it's definitely time to upgrade because you don't want a fire hazard on your hands. Contacts deteriorate over time and when there's an active current, it can overheat and lead to failure or fire. Out-of-date panels are just electrical disasters waiting to happen. Don't hesitate to contact a qualified electrician right away.

Suffering from lack of power?

Even if your home is not that old, it's still best to look into getting an upgrade especially if you are use to living with many electric appliances and devices. Washers, dryers, heaters, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, computers, media centers, and more are common place in todays homes and consume a lot of electricity.

Air conditioners are a main culprit in draining away your electric power during warmer weather in the summer months. If your panel doesn't come supplied with the capacity to handle a bunch of devices, there are going to be some major problems.

The more appliances you add to your living space, the more power you're going to need in reserve. Always have a professional check your electrical system before adding any major device to your home.

Circuit breakers constantly tripping?

Do you constantly have to deal with the power going out due to a tripped circuit breaker? This is easily caused by having too many things running at once. Having the air conditioner on, the television on, and then plugging in a vacuum can kill the power in an instant. If you find yourself with wires plugged in all over the place, you better hope your circuit breakers are working. Overloaded circuits are a big problem and are not very safe. Circuit breakers are there to help deal with this but are still not good enough on their own.

Adding extra outlets or using extension cords does not increase the amount of available power and only makes it worse. In order to not have to be annoyed by frequent electrical failure and to improve overall home safety, have your electrician increase the amount of available amps in your service panel.

Lights dimming?

This has got to be one of the most obvious signs in the world. If your lights are constantly flickering back and forth when appliances are in use, then there simply isn't enough available power throughout the household. Don't just ignore this! Get your panel checked out as soon as possible. It's never any fun to be caught in a blackout.

Today's modern devices and appliances consume vast amounts of electricity and you need to make sure your service panel has the appropriate capacity to deal with it. A typical panel upgrade usually involves replacing the whole breaker box and all of the breakers. Some of the breakers might be reusable but it is better to just have them all replaced.

Some old wiring and circuits may have to be replaced as well. Work with your professional electrician to determine your power needs for your home. You'll be at peace of mind when your panel is upgraded because you'll be living more comfortably and avoiding danger of fire.