Old fuse box need an upgrade, old breaker box, full electrical panel
As of late, the electrical power in your home has been less than perfect. Your lights tend to flicker every time you use a hair dryer or the microwave. You hook up the newest addition to your home entertainment system and quickly blow a fuse. What’s creating the problem? It might be that your home’s electrical panel is outdated and needs to be upgraded.
Most modern households tend to have electrically powered devices running 24 hours a day, and even electronics and systems that are switched off but remain plugged in can siphon electricity.
Older homes and buildings are often just not able to keep up with the electricity demand. If you believe your home is due for an upgrade, contact a licensed professional to judge the situation.
Do I Need an Upgrade?
The most visible sign that you need a panel upgrade is when your electrical circuits simply can’t keep up with your daily needs. If you must unplug one appliance in order to use another one without tripping the breaker, or if certain devices cause your lights to flicker, you’re probably overworking your electrical panel.
Even if you aren’t suffering from frequent losses of service, however, you might be due for a panel upgrade. If your current electrical panel has less than 200 amps of electricity available, or if your service panel has screw-in fuses, the system is out-of-date. As a general rule, if your house is over 20 years old, you should look into a service panel upgrade.
Can I Wait to Upgrade?
House repairs, especially electrical repairs, aren’t cheap. However, it’s never a good idea to stall residential electrical repairs. An old, overworked electrical panel isn’t just inconvenient, it can also be hazardous. If your home is strewn with power strips and extension cords because you have many more electrical devices than outlets, you’re demanding each outlet to work beyond its designed capacity. If one of these circuits overheats and blows under the electrical strain, it could affect your computer, printer, television, video game console, and whatever other devices it’s attached to. Also, overheating service panels and circuits are a fire hazard. Upgrade your service panel before it reaches this point to protect your property and your family from serious harm.
What is an electrical service?
There is a lot to your electrical service. Your electrical service refers to the pipe (metal or pvc), the meter (from the power company), the wires inside the pipe, your electrical panel (breakers or fuses), and your grounding system. Your service is measured in Amps. The most common residential service sizes are: 60 amps, 100 amps, 200 amps. Although you may have a size in between these (like 150 amps), these are the most common.
What is a service upgrade?
A service upgrade refers to making sure your electrical service is up-to-date and up-to-code! Often this means replacing a small fuse box to a modern panel with breakers. It may be that you already have breakers, but they too are old and outdated, or you need more power for your home. A full service upgrade replaces the pipe on the outside of your home, the wires inside that pipe, the meter, the wires going from the meter to your panel, the panel itself, the breakers inside the panel, and updating your grounding system with ground rods, communication ground, water ground, etc.
How do I know I need a service upgrade?
The power company is responsible for maintaining the lines running from power pole to power pole or underground, to your house. After the point where their line touches your house, it is your responsibility to maintain. Some signs that you need a service upgrade are: you hear buzzing near your electrical panel, you have fuses in your electrical box, you have many wires under each fuse or breaker, your breakers trip and won't reset, your panel is full and you want to add more circuits, there is visible rust on or in your panel, there is fraying of wires feeding your panel, the exterior pipe or meter are damaged or falling, you have a 60-amp service, or if your electrical service is more than 20 years old. There are dozens of electrical codes dealing with electrical services that have changed in the last few decade! This is all to improve safety and keep up with the ever increasing demands we put on our electrical systems.
My electrical seems fine, do I really need an upgrade?
Possibly. Even if your fuses aren’t blowing or your breakers aren’t tripping, your system may still be out of date. Call us for a free estimate where our experts will let you know their honest opinion about your electrical service.
What size service would I need?
As mentioned earlier, the main service sizes for homes are 60 amps, 100 amps, and 200 amps. 60 amps is no longer considered up-to-code. Our homes use much more electricity than they used to. Often times during the sale of a home, insurance companies will require a 60-amp service be upgraded prior to insuring the home for the new owner. A 100-amp service is sufficient for smaller homes with many gas appliances. If all of your appliances are electric (stove, dryer, etc), you have or want a hot tub, your home is greater than approximately 1600 square feet, etc, you may need a 200-amp service. Our team can help you make the decision about which size is best for your home.
How much are service upgrades?
Cost varies based on many variables. Here at Amp Electric, we give in-home estimates . Call us today to get an exact price on upgrading your electrical service. Read some of our reviews to see why we are the best electricians to upgrade your service.
What are other things typically upgraded at the same time?
Common things that are done at the same time are whole-house surge protection. This helps to prevent electrical surges caused by lightning strikes and blown transformers. It helps to protect not only your electronics, but also the wiring itself within your home. Another common thing to do at the same time is to install or prep for a home backup generator system. Portable generators or on-demand generators can be added at the same time as a service upgrade to make sure you are never powerless! Ask for more information during your free estimate.
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