Electrical Panel Installation Services Palm Desert, CA
Electrical boards, or breaker boxes, give home power from the electric company and manage how much electricity is provided to a circuit. When there is fritzing that is happening on the panel a lot of systems there can be affected. If you are finding yourself resetting your breakers often or that some outlets in your home are not working you may have to call a professional electrician. They can fix and install the panels to get your home to work again.
Panels will be typically found in a garage, closet, or a place outside the home. Every homeowner should be able to access their electrical panel quickly and know how it operates. There are older panel models that are no longer approved for residential use because of potential safety issues. 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 are used to control the amount of electricity that flows into a circuit. If there is an overload of electricity in the circuit then the breaker will trip and automatically shut down the electrical flow to it. You may have noticed this if multiple electrical devices are simultaneously running in the same circuit. It’s as easy to resolve this as unplugging gadgets and resetting the breaker.
If this happens often, then it may be time to upgrade to a new panel. If just one breaker is tripping and the system is not being overloaded, then you might simply have a damaged breaker that needs to be replaced in order to solve the problem.
If you have had to replace a lot of breakers already then it may be time to just get a new panel. If you aren’t the original owner of your home and you don’t know the history of the electrical panel, seeing different breaker brands or different colored breakers is a sure sign that multiple breakers have been replaced over time.
When you want to have an old appliance replaced you need to have an electrician present. This becomes a crucial step especially when the new appliance that you bought needs a higher power to work. When an old panel cannot support a new appliance, it’s time to get a new panel.
More recently installed electrical panels are equipped with AFCI outlets to prevent fires due to electrical arcing. If you’ve had your panels installed before 1999, they might not have this safety feature included. There is a risk of electrical fire if there are no AFCI outlets at your panel or at the starting points of the various circuits throughout your home.
A skilled electrician can inspect and assess any vulnerability in your panel and outlets. If your panel has no other problems then having AFCI outlets installed may be a cost-effective option for your home.
If there is any corrosion or rusting anywhere around the panel, it’s necessary to replace it immediately. If they are not properly protected, worn-out panels are more likely to be damaged through surges, fires, and other factors.
Other signs that your panel needs replacing include:
- Popping or other noises coming from the breaker box
- Burning smell coming from the panel
- Burn marks on panel or outlets
- Melted electrical wires
- Lights flickering when appliances are in use
- Appliances overheating quickly when plugged in
- The panel is warm or hot to the touch
If you feel like there’s something weird going on with your electricity, it’s time to hire a professional. An overloaded circuit could end up damaging or destroying anything that is plugged into it. Ignoring symptoms of a faulty panel can be expensive, as well as dangerous. A malfunctioning electrical panel could result in electrocutions or even a fire.
Electrical panels should last quite a while but will eventually show signs of wear and tear. Even the wires can become frayed or worn and give issues to different parts of the home. Many homeowners have a problem with mice or other rodents chewing on the wiring. Regardless of the issue, you’re experiencing, an electrician will be able to take a look at it and let you know what needs to be done.
You might just need to replace a single wire, or total replacement might be needed. If such is the case, you can have your electrician suggest possible options and install the new panel for you to return to a state when there’s reliable electricity in your home.
You can ensure the safety of your family as well as your appliances by contacting a professional today to inspect the panel in your home. Only a professional electrician should deal with repairing or replacing an electrical panel. People who have no experience in electric work can cause more damage when trying to repair a panel on their own and put themselves at risk for serious injury. Electricians are knowledgeable in all kinds of electrical work and they can do this in the most efficient way.