Electricians and electrical contractors get calls for a wide range of home improvement projects, but one of the most common is an upgrade or replacement of a home’s main panel. Often called the breaker box, load center, breaker switchboard or fuse panel it’s the place where electricity from the utility company is conditioned to be used in your home and then distributed to the various circuits. This includes your lights, receptacles and appliances. It also contains circuit breakers, which protect the wiring by stopping or tripping when there is too much electricity running through them.
The breaker box is also where the homeowner is able to shut off power to specific areas of their house or the entire house in the event of a dangerous situation such as a fire. It’s a pretty important piece of equipment and not something that you should attempt to mess around with. There are many reasons that a homeowner would want to add or replace the panel including:
Older Panels
Your home’s electrical system may have an older style breaker panel that is no longer able to handle the current demand of your electrical devices and appliances. A lot of these older panels have been known to fail and can be a serious safety hazard to you, your family and your pets. It is recommended that you consult a licensed electrician and have the panel upgraded or replaced when there are signs it is failing.
Signs of Failing Panel
The most common reason a homeowner would call an electrician to install or replace a breaker box is because it is not working right. This can be anything from lights flickering for no apparent reason to finding burn marks on the metal part (busbar) of the breaker. Sometimes the panel will just die out completely and you will need a new one installed by a licensed electrician or electrical contractor.
Another sign that it is time to upgrade your electrical panel in Clearwater is when you are adding new items that require their own circuit breaker. This includes modern hair dryers, oven or dishwasher that requires their own breaker as well as things like an outside plug for a weed whacker or chainsaw. This is a simple and inexpensive way to ensure that you have enough power to run these types of items and not overload your home’s wiring.
When it comes to installing a new electrical panel for your home you want to make sure that it is properly sized. If it isn’t the correct size you could have overheating problems and even fires that can lead to costly damage. This is why it is critical that you hire a licensed and insured electrical professional to perform any work on your electrical panel. Our licensed electricians have extensive experience with replacing and installing electrical panels and can ensure that your electrical system is up to code. Contact us today for an estimate. Electrical Panel Clearwater