Electrical panels may seem like a small part of your home, but they’re a central hub for all of your electrical needs. When they have a problem or aren’t working as efficiently as before, it can be frustrating to deal with or even dangerous for your home. Electrical panel upgrades help to keep your home’s grid safe and efficient.
What Is an Electrical Panel?
An electrical panel (also commonly known as a breaker box or an electric panel) is the central control panel for most, if not all, of your home’s electrical installations. It keeps electricity flowing throughout your home and will stop the flow (also known as tripping) if it detects a problem or threat, such as water in an outlet or a power surge. You can also manually stop or start the flow of electricity to parts of your home if need be, using your electrical panel.
5 Signs You Need to Update Your Electrical Panel
Your electrical panel is essential to the safety and functionality of your home, so you’ll want to know when something may be wrong with it. Here are five signs to look out for that mean it may be time for an update.
1. Circuit Breaker Keep Tripping
A telltale sign of electrical problems is a frequently tripping circuit breaker. While it could be a problem with the electrical device connected to the circuit breaker, it may also be the electrical panel itself. If you notice multiple breakers are tripping and doing so frequently, this could mean your breaker box needs to be repaired or replaced completely. Don’t let circuit breakers trip too much—it can cause even more severe problems down the road if not repaired quickly.
2. You Have an Old Panel
Just like anything else in your home, your electric panel will wear down with time. Typically, they last several decades, but if it’s past the 50-year mark, it could be time for an electric panel upgrade. If your panel is still fuse-based, it’s definitely time to replace it—a circuit breaker system will save you money, increase energy efficiency, and reduce the risk of electrical problems.
3. Inefficient Lights
Are your lights unusually dim or flickering? Your electrical panel may be struggling to get enough power throughout your home. We can usually identify the electrical panel as the culprit if you notice flickering or dimming when something else is turned on (for example, lights dimming when you start the microwave or stopping a vacuum causes your lights to flicker).
Lights dimming and flickering may be able to fix with a simple upgrade of a few more circuits, but be prepared to replace the whole thing.
4. Odd Sounds or Smells
Sulfur, smoke, sizzling, buzzing, or burning—these are all sounds and smells that you shouldn’t ignore, especially when they’re coming from your electrical panel. They could be signs that something is seriously wrong with your electrical grid and could even indicate a heightened risk of electrical fires. If you notice any odd smells or sounds from your breaker box, call a professional electrician immediately.
5. You Want to Upgrade Your Home
Whether you’re just buying a new electrical device or renovating your whole home, you’ll want to consider your electrical panel in your plans. Large electrical devices, such as a new fridge, dishwasher, or washing and drying machine, could require an upgrade to your breaker box to provide the necessary power.
If you’re renovating your home, you may be adding more outlets throughout your home or adding smart devices to live a more comfortable life. In either case, you’ll want an electrical panel that’s up for the job. Talk to an electrician about your future plans and see what they recommend to get the most out of your home!
How to Upgrade an Electrical Panel
The best and only way to safely upgrade your electrical panel is by having a licensed electrician do so for you. Breaker boxes are very sensitive pieces of equipment with a lot of power flowing through them. By trying to upgrade the panel yourself, you risk damaging your electrical system and harming yourself.
An electrician will inspect your electrical panel and your home’s devices, and once they have a thorough idea of your electrical needs, they’ll begin your upgrade so that you can enjoy your home in peace.
Electrical Panel Upgrades Are Easy with Holly Electric
Whether you’re facing annoying electrical problems or just want to modernize your home, Holly Electric provides whole-house electrical services throughout North Florida and South Georgia. Our technicians will be able to walk you through the best plan for your home, whether that’s just a simple repair or a replacement of your electrical panel. Protect your home today, and get in touch with us to see how you can upgrade your electrical panel!