In all likelihood, the electrical panel is something you’re familiar with, especially if you have an older home with older wiring. When something stops working in your home, like the refrigerator, it’s often the first thing you check.
But if you find yourself running to the electrical panel often, it’s probably not a good sign. This is just one of the many indicators that you probably need an upgrade. Here are some others:
If you are remodeling your home, you are likely changing out appliances in the kitchen or adding a few new gadgets. And if your home was designed decades ago, the electrical system was simply not made to handle all of these new systems.
As our electrical needs grow, the electrical service has to change, too. The panel is what is responsible for distributing power throughout your home, and attempting to burden an older panel with a large load of appliances could mean major electrical trouble or even a fire hazard.
Do you find yourself resetting one or more circuit breakers all too frequently? Do your lights flicker as soon as you turn on the AC or hot tub? This type of electrical trouble could signal a big problem. Call an electrician to inspect your wiring and your circuit breaker box, and make an upgrade ASAP if this is seen as the best course of action.
Finally, it may be time for an upgrade simply because you have an older panel. If you still have a fuse box, and you need to replace a fuse every time you have electrical trouble, it’s not worth it. A new circuit breaker can replace your fuse box and will be a lot easier to use, and safer too.
Besides, some older panels, even those controlled with circuit breakers, are dangerous. Federal Pacific Electric panels, for example, were widely installed in the middle of the 20th century, but it turns out that most do not trip properly a large percentage of the time, presenting a fire hazard.