Your electrical panel needs to handle all of your electrical load requirements for your home, from its appliances, entertainment systems, lighting, HVAC, and the army of gadgets we take for granted. You may have tripped a circuit before and had to reset it. However, when should you upgrade your electrical panels. Here is a general guideline to upgrading:
- New Appliances Installed Depending on the age of your home, if you have recently installed new appliances (refrigerator, washer/dryer, HVAC or even an electric vehicle charging station) you may need a 200-amp panel installed to handle the new electrical needs.
- Older Panels Are not designed to handle the load requirements of today and some may pose a hazard. Federal Pacific, ITE Pushmatic, Zinsco and GTE/Sylvania have all been shown to pose a fire hazard and are no longer manufactured but there are still many homes out there with these types of panels installed. Get to know what type of panel you have by consulting with a qualified electrician.
- Using Many Power Strips and Cords Does your house use a lot of power strips and extension cords? If this is the case this could also pose a potential hazard. Look into what can be done to avoid this issue. Hire a qualified electrician to address the issue and come up with the right solution to handle your power needs.
- Remodeling your Home If you are in the midst of a remodel of your home then it makes sense to look into upgrading your panel to handle the new power requirements you’ve just created. Chances are you will have new outlets, lighting, or appliances installed. With the changing electrical code requirements out there a new panel will be needed to meet those codes.
- Wiring When looking into upgrading your panel take into consideration the type of wiring you have. Consult with a qualified electrician to thoroughly look into the possibility of a complete upgrade. Panel and wiring upgrades will help put your mind at rest knowing your home is fully up to date with all its electrical needs.
If any of these ring true for you, then give NIC-Construction & Electrical a call. We would be happy to help you with your panel upgrade. (661) 600-2851
When Should You Upgrade Your Electrical Panels?
