Residential,Cook Electric
Written by Larry Cook

Sure Signs for Replacing Your Home’s Electrical Panel

If you own an older home, it may still be using an original electrical panel that is outdated and causing problems.  An electrical panel does the important job of receiving power from the utility and distributing it to various parts of your home. This is why you should know the symptoms that indicate you may need to replace your home’s electrical panel. Always work with a reputable and licensed electrician for your safety and the very best results.

Advanced Age

Electrical panels and their circuit breakers are designed to have service lives of several decades, and it may be past time for a replacement if your older home still has the original unit. It may just be too old at this point from the normal wear and tear over time. If it has not been inspected in the last 10 years, it would be a good idea to call a licensed electrician to do an inspection.

Electrical Fire Warning Signs

If you smell an acrid odor coming from the electrical panel, it is a sure warning sign of an electrical fire hazard that must be addressed right away. Another symptom is finding discolorations around the circuit breakers. In either case, call a licensed electrician to protect your family and request an inspection.

Frequently Tripping Circuit Breakers

When a circuit breaker trips, electricity is cut to prevent the circuit from overheating and causing a deadly fire. Tripping may often occur if your home’s electrical demands constantly surpass the existing electrical panel’s capacity. This is why lights flicker when a major appliance turns on. If this seems to be your situation, an upgrade to a new electrical panel with a greater capacity of up to 200 amps may be necessary to meet modern electricity needs.

Unable to Reset Breakers

After a circuit breaker trips and you are unable to reset it properly, there is a very likely probability there is a serious problem with your home’s electrical panel and it may require replacement. You may also notice flickering lights

Electrical Peace of Mind

Providing professional electricians since 1988 in Maryland, Cook Electric is the company you can rely on for all your electrical service needs. For knowledgeable, fair, honest, reliable, and conscientious service, call Cook Electric today at (410) 266-9040. We will be very glad to help you.