Upgrade Electrical Panels in Your Home
When it comes to dealing with electrical appliances, very few people think about electrical panels. Most often, you will just turn on your lights and carry on with your business. But did you know that electrical panels play a critical role in your home’s overall electrical system?
You may need to upgrade electrical panels in your home to protect your electric appliances from electric surges and dips. Ultimately, this is one electrical maintenance measure you will have to do to keep your home safe from electrical fires and shocks.
When to Upgrade Your Electrical Panels
You might be surprised to know how many electrical issues trace back to a faulty electrical panel. Below is a comprehensive list of the most common causes of electrical panel faults and when to replace them.
1. Faulty Wiring Issues
One of the leading causes of electrical fires in the United States is faulty wiring. Unfortunately, most of the relatively older wiring doesn’t meet the desired standards, and their wiring insulation materials deteriorate over time. While such issues may not always be visible to the naked eye, faulty wiring can cause electrical fires or electrical shocks, putting you alongside your family in danger.
Common signs of faulty/old wiring:
- Flickering or dimming lights
- A persistent burning smell
- A slight shock when you touch electrical appliances
- Sparking/discharge from power outlets
- Replacing Fuses with Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers and fuses both perform the same function. They prevent electrical overload or short circuits by disrupting electrical currents to connected devices. Fuses are more of one-time use. But favorably, you only need to reset circuit breakers.
As much as fuses can still play the part of breaking circuits, they are outdated. They wouldn’t do much to protect all your home appliances the way circuit breakers will.
These days, fuses can pose a fire hazard, which is one of the main issues that compel homeowners to provide for electrical panel upgrades.
3. Installing New Appliances
Your home may also need surge protection when installing new electrical appliances since your current electrical panel may not have the capacity to run modern appliances. Major appliances such as air conditioners or hot tubs consume a lot of electricity. In some cases, your existing electric panel might not have the capability to cope with these demands, thereby causing your electric breakers to trip repeatedly.
4. Extensive Use of Power Trips and Extension Cords
Many homeowners have power strips and extension cords plugged into almost every outlet in their homes. If you follow this pattern, you’re likely pushing your electrical panel to its limits.
Having frequent power strips in your home means the demand for electricity exceeds what each outlet was designed to provide. If your home doesn’t have a sufficient number of outlets to match the needs, then it’s time you installed new ones. Be sure to update your electrical panels while at it, so that you don’t overload the system all over again.
5. Planning Ahead
Nobody usually knows the types of appliances and devices they’ll be using five or ten years from now. Who knows? Your home may be fully automated and run everything on electricity.
Therefore, if you are already upgrading or remodeling your home, it’s probably a good idea to invest in quality wiring too. Structured wiring is one way to ensure your household appliances have the electricity they need without causing electrical fires. Keep all your electrical devices safe by installing heavy-duty cables that can handle different electric currents.
Planning ahead ought to cater to installation of the latest electrical panels. This strategy also increases your home’s value, should you decide to sell it in the future.
Need to Upgrade Electrical Panels in Your Home? Contact Pinellas County Electric Now!
Do you want to upgrade your electrical panels? We help take the worry off your shoulder by providing you with the best electrical services in Pinellas.
If you’re having electrical issues, our team can help fit your home with new electrical panels. We also offer surge protection and generator repair services to ensure maximum protection from electrical mishaps.
Talk to one of our agents for an appointment today. Reach out to Pinellas County Electric at 727-269-1982 to schedule a no-cost consultation and get more information about our electrical services in Pinellas. Our team is always on standby and will get in touch with you in the shortest time possible.
