When to upgrade your electrical panel

One of the essential items in a home isn’t even that big. The electrical panel in your home is the source of all the energy being supplied to the necessities of home, and it’s usually tucked out of sight in the house. Just like the appliances that rely on the electrical panel to function, the panel itself needs to be upgraded over time. But how can one tell when it’s time to update? Here you will see a few top tips for finding out if you’re overdue to switch out your electric panels.

Let’s start with the visuals first. Just by looking at the home itself and determining when it was built is a good indicator of a potential upgrade. If the house is over 20 years old, check the panels immediately. Homes of this age are at high risk of having an unapproved panel (UL approval) and have been known to cause fires. There are also older panel models made by manufacturers that have been shut down by the UL because of the flaws in their panels. This is another thing to look out for, and having access to an online search engine via cellphones allow for easy and instant identification to determine if the panel is dangerous and needs upgrading.

Next are the inner workings of an old electrical panel. In old circuit breakers, they don’t always trip under test loads for a long time. Whether it’s a minute or longer, it is two seconds too long since updated panels trip instantly if overloaded. The trip is there to protect dwellers of the home from electrocution, shock, and fires and is meant to shut off the flow of electricity if a problem is detected. In an older home with an old panel that hasn’t been upgraded, those extra seconds can cost someone their lives.

If you’ve never looked at your electrical panel while living in your home, this alone could be a significant indicator that you need an upgrade. Call today to get one of our expert electricians out to you today and figure out what’s the best, and safest, solution for your electrical panel.