Electrical Panel Upgrades
Every year, the power demands of the average home continue to grow. With every appliance and device that you add to your home, you draw more and more electricity. Many electrical panels aren’t equipped to handle these increased loads—especially in homes built more than 20 years ago.
If you’re concerned that your electrical panel isn’t up to the task, contact MZ Electric to discuss options for electrical panel upgrades. Our technicians are all licensed, certified, and insured, and with their experience and training, they can handle even the most difficult electrical problems. We’re dedicated to providing our customers with top-notch customer service, and with our competitive pricing, you can rest assured that you’ll receive excellent work for the right price.
Do I Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade?
Most electrical panels installed prior to the year 2000 were rated to handle somewhere between 60 to 100 amps. While that was more than sufficient at the time, the dramatic rise in power consumption over the last 20 years means that even a 100-amp system usually won’t be able to handle the needs of most homeowners.
However, inadequate power capacity isn’t the only reason to consider electrical panel upgrades. While many panels can last for quite a while, over time, your system will begin to show signs of wear and tear. Sometimes, that wear will be visible; other times, it occurs deeper within the system or behind your panel.
In either case, you should look for any of the following signs:
- The panel that is hot to the touch
- Odd smells, like burning plastic or rotten eggs
- Noises, like popping, crackling, or hissing, coming from your panel
- Scorch marks or melted wiring
- Frequently tripped breakers
- Flickering lights
- Rust or corrosion on your panel
While these are signs that your panel may be damaged, there are other situations in which you may need to consider electrical panel upgrades. If you’re adding on a room to your home, for example, you may need a new panel to meet the increased demand.
Similarly, you may need to upgrade if you install a new appliance, such as a hot tub. Finally, you might find that you need to add circuits to be able to install additional switches or outlets throughout your home to meet your increased demand.
There is one other situation in which it’s absolutely vital that you upgrade your electrical panel. From the 1950s to the 1990s, many homes were built with an electrical panel made by Federal Pacific Electric (FPE). Over time, those panels have been shown to fail at an alarmingly high rate, often causing fires.
If you have an FPE circuit breaker, you should call MZ Electric as soon as possible so that we can replace it with a safer model.
Electrical Panel Upgrades from MZ Electric
Upgrading your electrical panel with MZ Electric starts with a conversation. One of our experts can schedule a time to talk through your power needs. We’ll have a technician come to your home to evaluate your system and speak with you about how you use electricity within your home. Based on these discussions, your technician can recommend options for replacing your existing panel with an upgraded model that will meet your current—and future—demand for power.
Once you decide on a course of action, we’ll make sure to get the work done as quickly, efficiently, and safely as possible. We know it’s an inconvenience to be without electricity, so we’ll do our best to get your system up and running without delays.
We’re Your Reliable “Electrician Near Me”
If you’re interested in learning more about electrical panel upgrades or there are other electrical services that you need, contact the experts at MZ Electric today. We’ll make sure that you have the power you need when you need it!
