When to Replace Your Electrical Service Panel

Last updated 10 months ago

The service panel in your home is the first place you look when a breaker has tripped or you need to replace a fuse. It should also be something that is regularly inspected by a professional electrician. It is the heart of your home's electrical system, and there may come a time when you need to have it replaced.

The question then becomes when to have your service panel upgraded to a newer version. There are different times during the life of your home when it would be advisable to replace your service panel, including the following examples.

Major Renovations: If you’re making an addition to your home, renovating a room, or adding appliances, it might be a good idea to have an electrician determine whether service panel replacement is necessary. This is also a good opportunity to upgrade to a panel that can provide greater power if you are upgrading your electrical system to do so.
Rewiring Your Home: At any point when you need to rewire your home, such as to replace aged aluminum wiring or during renovations, you should have your service panel replaced as well. This will help keep your whole system at a similar age and ensure that your new components work together safely.
Not Getting Enough Power: Older service panels may not be able to handle the amount of power you need in your circuits. Again, upgrading your wiring or appliances is another situation where you may need additional power, and thus a new service panel.
Frequent Repairs: Constantly blown fuses and tripped breakers can point to a faulty service panel. At any time you hear a buzzing or crackling sound from behind the panel, contact your electrician right away. This is an unsafe situation, and your service panel should be repaired or replaced.

To learn more about service panels and their maintenance needs, or to have yours replaced, let TAP and Sons Electric handle the work. Give us a call at (480) 507-2900 or head to our website to learn about our full range of services our residential electricians can provide.