From the 1950s to the 1980s, the Federal Pacific Electrical Company (FPE) installed electrical panels in millions of homes across the country. Unfortunately, these electrical panels are basically recipes for disaster—over the years, electricians and home inspectors have found that FPE panels often fail to protect homes from overcurrent or short circuits. The danger seems to happen randomly: even if panels have been installed and working properly for years, a single incident can quickly cause the panel to overheat and create a major fire hazard.

Remember—circuit panels trip in response to unusual surges of electricity. If they fail to trip, as FPE panels often do, those electrical surges cannot be stopped or shut off manually and will move through your home until they run out of fuel or until the wires burn out. This could cause the panel to overheat and catch fire, leading to a potentially serious disaster.

FPE panels may not be up to modern safety codes – electrical safety standards have been updated significantly since the 1980s, and experts say that FPE panels, which were produced from the 50s and into the 80s, do not meet these updated standards. Some of the deficiencies noted by home inspectors include:

FPE panels may have serious design flaws – not only do FPE panels not meet modern safety standards, but they also came with some serious design flaws that weren’t even common among panels built around the same time. Some of the most significant flaws include:

FPE panels may have manufacturing defects – as if that weren’t enough, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has noted a number of defects that make FPE panels unfit for homes, including weak materials used to construct the breakers that may prevent them from tripping and could cause the panel to catch fire.

If you live in an older home and you’re worried your panel might be a danger, call Kolb Electric. Our trained electricians are familiar with the potential hazards of FPE and other outdated panels and can replace your existing panel with a modern panel that will keep your home safe for decades.

For more information about circuit panel replacement in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC, call Kolb Electric today.

Electrical jobs should never be turned into a DIY project, unless you have formal training and experience in the field. While electricity is extremely useful and necessary, if it isn’t handled correctly, it can be pretty dangerous too. If you get a novice to handle the job for you that can result in overloaded circuits, poor wiring connections or even faulty grounding, which can be extremely dangerous to you and your family and result in a fire outbreak as well. Here are some common services for which you would need to call in an electrician:

The main electrical panels provide electricity to your entire house. If you have older panels with fuses and older wiring, those may not be able to bear the load of any new appliances you decide to install on your property. The latest electrical appliances tend to add heavy loads on the system and your older wiring installations won’t be able to support those loads. If you are getting new appliances, call in a licensed electrician to test and inspect the wiring and circuit breakers on your property.

If you need any new outlets installed or need existing ones converted to USB ports, you would have to call in an electrician for the job. Oftentimes, electrical codes necessitate that a minimum of 1 outlet in your kitchen and bathroom be a GFCI outlet. These are specifically designed to shut off the power in case there is an imbalance in electricity or if water comes in contact with any of the electrical equipment or fittings; this helps in preventing shock in these areas.

It’s important that there be proper grounding as lack of it can result in power loss or a fire. Aside from this, if you require any additional outlets, your electrician will be able to install those for you as well. Installing additional outlets requires replacing a segment of the wiring and cutting into the walls, and this is something you should never do on your own. Many new electrical gadgets come with USB charging systems and you can get the local electrician to replace some of the standard ones with the USB ports, if required.

There are times when homeowners feel that the outdoor spaces on their property can do with better illumination. If you want new security or ambient lighting installations, you should just call in the electrician. He will extend the wiring to the outdoor spaces and ensure that it has the proper grounding as well. They will provide advice on which electrical fixtures would work best in an outdoor setting.

This may seem like an easy job, but it’s best to get a professional electrician to handle this for you as well. The electrician will check whether the amperage is sufficiently high to support the wattage of the new light fitting. If it is lower than that, the electrician will have to extend an additional wire from the main circuit breaker.

Aside from this, even things like fitting powerpoint covers and replacing light switches is something that only a certified and licensed electrician should handle. They will take all the necessary precautions while doing any kind of electrical work on your property.

We at Allround Electrical can provide excellent electrical upgrade and maintenance solutions. For more information, contact our friendly team at this number – 1300 169 263. Alternatively, you can also write to us at this email address.

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The answer to the question above is a bit tricky. First things first, not every homeowner is necessarily going to require air duct cleaning services. However, should your air ducts require cleaning, it is always necessary to schedule that service with a trained and properly equipped technician. After all, there is really no way in which on can hope to access and thoroughly clean their air ducts on their own. The hidden nature of ductwork can make assessing its interior condition rather difficult, though. That is why we have compiled a few tips for helping you to identify the need for air duct cleaning services in Boston, MA. Contact FB Electrical Services to schedule exceptional duct cleaning service today.