When to Upgrade Your Home’s Electrical Panel and System

When to Upgrade Your Home’s Electrical Panel and System

Upgrading your home's electrical panel or system can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Knowing when to upgrade your home’s electrical panel and system is essential for your family's safety and for avoiding expensive repairs.

Let's dive into a few key areas that will help you determine when to upgrade your home's electrical system.

Age of Your Home

If your home was built before 1950, chances are you'll need to upgrade its wiring and perhaps even its main panel. Before 1960, aluminum wiring was used in homes—considered a fire hazard today—so it must be replaced with copper wiring. If your home was built after 1960 and has copper wiring, it should be safe from a fire hazard standpoint; however, other components may need to be upgraded.

Number of Outlets

If you find yourself frequently using extension cords or power strips due to a lack of outlets, then it may be time for an upgrade. Adding more outlets will make life easier and reduce the risk of overload on any given circuit in your home.

Type of Breakers

Most homes built over 40 years ago were outfitted with fuse boxes instead of breaker panels because they were much less expensive. Fuse boxes use fuses instead of breakers which can cause safety issues if overloaded, so they should be upgraded with modern breakers whenever possible.

Warning Signs

Even if all other factors are up-to-date in age and type of equipment used in the electrical system, some warning signs suggest an upgrade may still be necessary, such as flickering lights or buzzing noises coming from outlets or switches when turning them on or off.

These indicators often mean too much load on a certain circuit in your home, so consider upgrading other parts of your system and adding more outlets throughout the house where needed.

Safety Concerns

Fire hazards due to outdated systems should always prompt an immediate upgrade from a professional electrician specializing in these projects. Suppose you notice sparking near any outlet or switch. In that case, this could indicate a serious problem that needs attention immediately before any damage occurs due to sparks igniting combustible materials nearby, such as carpets and furniture pieces made of wood or fabric.

New Appliances and Electronics

If you recently purchased new appliances and electronics that require more wattage than what is currently available on your existing circuits. In that case, it might be time for an upgrade, depending on how many new items were added.

Higher-wattage items include air conditioners, microwaves, refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers. All these items need dedicated circuits so they don't overload existing ones which could lead to tripped breakers and power surges during peak usage times.

Updated Code Requirements

Building code requirements vary by jurisdiction, but electrical panels should generally be large enough to accommodate any additional circuits needed for home improvements. Professional technicians who upgrade electrical panels must follow all local building codes when replacing an existing panel or installing a new one.

During an electrical panel upgrade, it is important that all wiring and conductors meet current building codes in terms of material type and size - this ensures home safety and better energy efficiency for the home's electrical system.

Get An Expert’s Opinion

Upgrading a home's electrical panel and system is one of the most important home renovations that can be made to ensure a safe and efficient home. Hiring an expert electrician, like Meyers Companies, Inc., is necessary. We are experienced with upgrading home electrical systems, from replacing out-of-date wiring to modernizing home panels and circuits.