With the cooler weather & holidays quickly approaching, upgrading your electrical panel is something all homeowners should consider. Whether your family is growing, you need to replace a damaged panel, or you’re simply planning to add additional loads to your electrical system, upgrading your panel can mean  greater stability and safety.

Years of weather and corrosion can significantly damage your electrical panel. Higher resistance due to corrosion in the panel and wiring can be a dangerous fire hazard. This is especially true for homes with panels that are several decades old. These higher resistance “hot spots” can prevent breakers from tripping when short circuits occur. Because it may present a serious enough risk, some insurance companies may even refuse coverage if homes are equipped with old or fuse-based panels.

If you’re remodeling your home, adding additional rooms or a swimming pool, you will likely need the panel and electrical service to be upgraded to a larger size. Even adding more electrical outlets for home entertainment systems and computers can add additional strain on your electrical system and cause an existing panel to be overloaded.

Not all homes will need a panel upgrade. A modern home with few appliances or home electronics will do perfectly well without a need for an upgrade to the electrical system or panel. However, homes with damaged panels, room additions or heavier draws on the electrical system due to swimming pools or new solar power systems, will likely need an upgraded panel. In such cases, a licensed electrician should be consulted.

If you would like to speak with a professional or get more information about replacing your electrical panel, call Direct Electric Company today! M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM – (951) 200-5262