Your home’s electrical panel, or breaker box, is where all of the electricity enters your home and is distributed to your various rooms and electrical appliance. Each circuit, or run of electrical wire, is managed or controlled by a single breaker. In short, this is the hub for the entire electrical system in your home. It allows you to isolate power in the various parts of your home. In addition, it serves as a safety feature to prevent power surges and dirty power from damaging your expensive electronics and appliances. With all of this riding on one panel, it must remain in perfect condition to keep your home safe from electrical hazards. Below are some crucial items to consider when you wonder if it is time to upgrade your home’s electrical panel for added function and safety.
Do You Have Fuses Or Breakers?
If your electrical panel is an old fuse box, it is past time to upgrade. These units were installed in homes built before 1970 and are very outdated. Fuses are designed to melt when they experience an overload, rather than tripping like a modern breaker. The antiquated nature of fuses was the best option before 1970, but it represents a fire and safety hazard that has since been eliminated with breakers. Plan on replacing an old fuse box immediately for added safety and function.
Do You Own An Older Home?
Even if your home was built after 1970, you still might be using some outdated equipment. Older houses use 60-amp electrical specifications, which were perfect a few decades ago. There were far fewer electrical appliances, large televisions, and expensive electronic equipment in homes in the 80s and even 90s. However, today’s technology requires 100 or 200-amp service. Specifically, modern air conditioners require substantially more power than a 60-amp electrical panel should manage. Upgrading to a larger, more sophisticated electrical panel will provide the added safety and power that your home needs.
Do Breakers Constantly Trip?
Breakers are the safety features that protect your devices from power surges, spikes, and dirty power. But as they wear out, they can begin to trip for no apparent reason. If you have a constantly tripping breaker, it is important to have it examined by a licensed electrician. It could be defective, worn-out, or there is a short in that circuit. Your electrician will tell you if the breaker or the entire panel should be upgraded to provide added electrical safety.
Do You Need Power Strips In Every Room?
Another sign of an older home is a collection of power strips in every room. Homes built a few decades ago were not designed to accommodate all of the electronics and appliances we have in our modern homes. And as such, you find that the only way to have enough outlet space is to add extension cords and power strips. This is a sure sign that you are overloading circuits and need additional circuits and outlets installed. But to accommodate these new outlets, you will also need to add a larger electrical panel.
It is important to remember that even though the electrical appliances and electronics in your home are functioning, your electrical system could still be very outdated. And it is only a matter of time before the overload results in an electrical fire or damage to your devices. Call (915) 221-8214 for a free price quote to upgrade your electrical panel. The licensed electricians from Secure Electrical Contractors will get the job done quickly and professionally to ensure that your home is safe from electrical hazards.