Your electrical panel is the heart of your home. All electricity flows through it and out to the various rooms and devices plugged in at any given time.

When is it time to have a new electrical panel installed?

• You’re having issues with your home’s wiring. Like with anything, wiring can break down over time and with use. Problems with home’s wiring is the leading cause of residential fires in the United States, which is a very dangerous thing to deal with. If you’re looking into replacing your home’s wiring, it’s the perfect time to upgrade your electric panel alongside it. Signs that your wiring is likely outdated include flickering lights, visible scorch marks on outlets, a persistent burning smell, or visible sparks when electronics are being used.
• You plan on installing new appliances. New appliances are likely going to need their own dedicated outlets and, in order to power those outlets you’ll need an upgraded electrical panel. Your average electrical panel can provide 100, 150, 200, or 400 amps of power. If your panel’s amperage doesn’t meet your electrical needs, it’ll cause the breakers to trip anytime your new appliance is used unless you upgrade.
• If your existing panel uses fuses. Fuses and circuit breakers are similar, as they both work to prevent short circuits or overloads by disrupting currents that travel through them. If a too-high current travels through them, it will cause a fuse to melt. In the same situation, a circuit breaker simply trips and needs to be reset. If your home is still using fuses, now is the perfect time to upgrade to circuits as they’re heartier and part of your everyday modern electrical panel.