It is easy to forget our electrical panel hiding in the basement or garage, but the truth is that this panel is an important part of your electrical system. While these devices don’t need the same amount of maintenance as other electrical components, they still need proper care and attention. In fact, you may need to upgrade your electrical panel altogether! Here’s what you didn’t know about your home’s electrical panel.
The Heart of the System
The electrical panel is the beating heart of your home’s entire electrical system. It is the central point where all of the wires from outside your home meet the ones inside. This connection is how your electric service provider brings electricity to your home. The critical role of this device makes it very important to ensure that the electrical panel you have can handle the electricity that you produce.
Are You Up for an Upgrade?
There are a few tell-tale signs that your electrical panel needs a professional inspection, at the very least, if not a complete overhaul:
- Your Home Has a Fuse Box: Old-fashioned panels with fuses are prone to burnout. These burnouts lead to expensive replacements. Skip this and upgrade to circuit breakers.
- Your Home Is More than 20 Years Old: Older homes can typically only handle 60 to 100 amps. The average modern home has 200 amp panels. With electricity needs being greater than ever before, it’s important to have a panel that can keep up.
- Your Electrical Panel Feels Warm: Just like any electrical device, consistent warmth or even heat is not a good sign. This could be an indication that your panel is either overloaded, improperly installed, or defective.
- Your Electrical Panel Smells: If you smell burning coming off of your panel, call in a licensed electrician right away! This could be a sign of an impending electrical fire.
- Your Electrical Panel Keeps Tripping: Constant tripping or a distinct crackling sound is a side effect that occurs when too many appliances are plugged into a circuit. In some cases, this only means that your breaker will need to be replaced.
- You Are Updating Your Appliances: Upgrading your appliances also might mean a panel upgrade. Make sure to consult an electrical expert before making the switch.
Electrical panels are arguably the most necessary component of our electrical systems. Because of this, it’s important to make sure that they are operating to the best of their ability. If you think that you might need an electrical panel upgrade, call us today at 403-768-1866!
