The electrical panel is one of the essential components in your residential property. Whether you’re turning on your bedroom light, plugging in your kitchen appliance, or switching your PC on, it plays a crucial role in the flow of your electricity at home.
Simply put, the electric panel is the brain of your home’s electrical system. It is a metal box typically installed into the wall, where you’ll find all the breaker switches as well as the main circuit breaker regulating the power. Furthermore, keep in mind that this serves as the first line of defence against electrical issues, such as surges, shocks, and fires. This is why having an electrical panel update is imperative, particularly for your home’s safety and protection.
If you’re wondering when you need to upgrade your electrical panel, here are four common instances you must do so:
1) Damaged or Old Electrical Panel
If your electrical panel is already damaged or old, then it’s logical enough to get it replaced and upgraded. Once it’s dented, rusted, and deteriorated, it might become malfunctioned or, worst, unsafe for the whole household. If the panel becomes too old and outdated, it will be hard to repair and maintain it as well. For this reason, the best course of action is to get it upgraded instead of leaving it as it is!
2) Use Fuse Boxes Instead of Circuit Breakers
At this juncture, your residential property may still be relying on a fuse box for protection against electrical overload and surges. If it is so, then it’s about time to upgrade it from a fuse box to a circuit breaker. Sure, both electrical types have the same functions. Yet, a circuit breaker is far more advanced and generally safer than its former counterpart. If your old house still has the outdated box, get it replaced with a circuit breaker!
3) Constant Trips of Breaker
As the name suggests, a circuit breaker is designed to “break” the circuit in case of an overload or surge. Some trips of your breaker aren’t necessarily a major concern, but you must be wary if you are encountering constant trips. Such situations can mean that the electrical consumption at home is too much for your electrical panel, leading to malfunctioning or failing. Because of this, upgrading your electrical panel to a large-capacity unit can make all the difference in ensuring your household’s safety and protection.
4) Install New Appliances
The more appliances you have, the more you’ll increase the electrical consumption at home. Makes sense, right? However, if your electrical panel isn’t able to handle this increase, it will easily get malfunctioned and eventually fail. If you’re looking to invest in and install new appliances, it makes sense to upgrade your electrical panel. That way, it can accommodate your home’s added appliances and ensure they will run as smoothly as possible while keeping the whole household safe.
Conclusion
At this point, you now know the four instances of when it’s imperative to have an electrical panel upgrade. As outlined above, you must do so if you have a damaged or old panel, use fuse boxes over circuit breakers, experience constant breaker trips, and need to install new appliances. Ultimately, an upgraded electrical panel will ensure the safety of the whole household and protect your home without compromising the flow of your electricity!
Are you looking to upgrade your electrical panel? You’ve come to the right place, as we have a team of experienced and dedicated emergency electricians. We provide emergency electrical services in Edmonton, AB, such as electrical safety inspection, light fixture installation, surge protection, LED lighting, and electrical home repairs, among others. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!
