Electrical Panel Installation Services
The purpose of your home’s electrical panel also called a breaker box is to bring electricity from the electric company into your home and regulate how much of it is supplied to the individual circuits. A problem with your electrical panel can cause problems with one or more circuits in your home. It’s time to call in a professional electrician if you’re having to reset tripped breakers frequently or notice that some of your home’s outlets don’t work. They can repair and install these panels to bring homes back to normalcy.
Panels are typically found in a garage, closet, or positioned just outside the home. You need to be able to get to your panel quickly in case of an emergency, and you should understand its basic functions. There are certain panels, whether because of age or brand, that are no longer safe for use in homes. It’s a good idea to have your electrical panel inspected for safety by an experienced electrician.
When should you replace your electrical panel?
Breakers regulate the amount of electrical energy that flows into a circuit. If a circuit is overloaded, the flow of electricity will be stopped by the breaker. Residents with multiple appliances running simultaneously in the same circuit are likely to experience this. However, fixing this would involve simply unplugging all connected devices and resetting it.
However, if this is a regular occurrence, you may need professional service to help replace your old panel with a new one that will provide sufficient power for your home to meet all its needs. If there is only one breaker that trips, even when the system is not overloaded, then it could be the only fault, and replacing the breaker will fix the problem.
After having to replace several individual breakers, it might be time to consider whether your entire electrical panel needs to be replaced. The colored breakers or the different brands will be the indicators revealing if there have been breaker replacements in it if you are not sure about the history of your panel.
You should have a professional over to ensure compatibility of an appliance with your panel whenever you’re getting a new appliance, to avoid overloading the system. This becomes even more crucial when you find out that the new appliance that you have bought needs more electrical power than the one you replaced it with. If your new appliance is not compatible with your panel, then it may require a new panel.
There are now current panels that have an AFCI outlet which has the capability of protecting wires from accidental fires. Electrical panels installed before 1999 may not have AFCI outlets. Your home could be in peril if AFCI outlets are missing at the board or the circuit starts around the home.
By inspecting your panel and outlets, an electrician can help assess your vulnerability. While replacing your entire panel may be an option, if the panel doesn’t have any other issues, you may find it a more cost-efficient solution to simply install AFCI outlets at the beginning of each circuit.
Any rusting or corrosion of your electrical panel should warrant an immediate replacement. If these are not properly protected, worn-out panels could pose the danger of electric surges, fires, or other damage.
Other signs that your panel needs replacing include:
- appliances overheating quickly when plugged in
- lights flickering when appliances are in use
- popping or other noises coming from the breaker box
- hissing
- burn marks on panel or outlets
- burning smell coming from the panel
- melted electrical wires
- the panel is warm or hot to the touch
You need to contact a professional electrician if you notice that something strange is happening to your electricity. If circuits are overloaded, they could “fry” anything plugged into those outlets like computers, phones, and other electronics. When you ignore the signs that there is something wrong with your electrical panel then the consequences of it can be costly and hazardous as well. Fires and electrocutions can result from a malfunctioning electrical panel.
Though a panel should last for many years, they’re still subject to wear and tear. So sometimes, even the wires can become frayed or worn, causing damage to various appliances at home. In some cases, rodents may chew on the wires and disrupt the system. Whatever your problem may be with your electrical system, a professional electrician should be able to diagnose and remedy them.
It can be as easy as replacing a wire, or it may require a total replacement of the panel. No matter what is needed, your electrician will be able to guide you through your options and get your new panel installed quickly so that you can have electricity in your home once again.
A professional should check out your panel today for you and your family to be safe. A professional electrician should be the only one to repair or replace an electric panel. Homeowners that have no experience in dealing with electric work are at risk of injury. Electricians are greatly skilled in all areas of electrical work and can deliver safe and efficient electrical services for your home.