A Homeowner’s Guide to Upgrade Your Electric Panel
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Posted February 28, 2025
Do you have a circuit breaker in your home that always trips for one reason or another? If so, you’re probably very familiar with the electric panel in your house. You’ll need to go to your electric panel box every time one of your circuit breakers trips. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use any electrical outlets connected to that specific circuit breaker.
As a homeowner, you should know where your house’s electric panel is located regardless of whether or not you ever have issues with it. You should also have a basic understanding of how it works and know what signs suggest it’s time to do an electric panel replacement.
Today, we’ll discuss electric panels in depth so that you can understand them. Then, we’ll explain how you’ll know when to schedule an electric panel upgrade. Continue reading to find out everything you need to know about electric panels.
What Is an Electric Panel?
An electric panel is a metal box with an electric panel cover on the front of it that holds every electrical circuit for your home. Each circuit inside an electrical panel will control the electrical outlets in a different part of your home.
When an electric panel is first installed in a home, a good electrician will label every circuit so that you know what each one does. You’ll want to leave most of these circuits on all the time, but you will have the power to turn them on and off as necessary if you’d like.
If one of the electrical outlets in your home starts using too much electricity at once, the electric circuit it’s attached to will trip. When this circuit trips, electricity will stop flowing to this part of your home. Electric circuits are designed to trip like this to prevent damage. It also limits how much electricity can flow to a particular part of your home at one time.
Where Is an Electrical Panel Situated?
If you’ve lived in your current home for more than a little while now, there is a good chance you already know where your electric panel is. But if you moved into a new home not long ago, you might need to poke around to find it.
Electric panels are often located in garages or basements in single-family homes, but they might also be in utility closets, hallways, or basements. You’ll want to be able to access your electrical panel ASAP in the event that an electric circuit trips. That’s why you should know precisely what it is when living in a home.
How Long Will an Electric Panel Last?
The electric panel plays an essential part in your home’s overall well-being. As a result, it will almost always be strained, and this strain will eventually cause your electrical panel to break down.
The good news is that you shouldn’t worry about replacing an electric panel on the newer side anytime soon. But you will need to do it after it’s been in place for between 25 and 40 years, which is the average lifespan of an electrical panel. You won’t want to let an electric panel linger for too long beyond that. If you do, you could cause all sorts of electrical issues, and if you’re not careful, it could even put your home and your safety at risk.
Can an Electrical Panel Be Repaired?
If you ever sense something is wrong with your home’s electric panel, you shouldn’t hesitate to call an electrician to come out and look at it for you. There is a chance that they might be able to salvage it by making repairs.
More often than not, electrical panels that need repairs will usually need to be replaced. But if something as simple as a loose wire in your electric panel is causing problems, that can be fixed so that you can keep your panel around for a little longer. Whatever the case, you shouldn’t ever put off having an electrician look at your electrical panel for any longer than necessary. It could prove catastrophic in some instances.
When Should You Perform an Electric Panel Replacement?
It’ll likely let you know if your electric panel needs to be replaced. You’ll be able to spot all sorts of signs that indicate it’s on its last legs. Here are a handful of the signs that you’ll begin to see when your electrical panel is ready to give out on you:
- The circuit breakers in your panel keep tripping over and over again
- Your panel is beginning to rust
- There is a burning smell coming from your panel
- Your panel feels warm when you touch it
- You’ve added new appliances to your home, and your panel can’t keep up with them
- The lights in your house are flickering all the time
Some of these issues are going to be more serious than others. A burning smell, for example, could be a warning sign that will suggest your electric panel is on the verge of starting a fire. But no matter how serious the issues with your electrical panel seem, you shouldn’t delay having it looked at. It’ll be the only way to determine what is going on with it so that you can have it repaired or replaced.
What Are the Benefits of Doing an Electric Panel Upgrade?
When you have an electric panel replacement done, you’ll find that you sleep so much better at night. You’ll love knowing that your house is going to be safer than it was before. You’ll also appreciate that having an electrical panel replacement performed will provide you with a long list of benefits.
Read through some of the biggest benefits of upgrading your electric panel below:
- Your home’s electrical panel will be 100% safe to use after you’ve had it replaced by a reputable electrician.
- You won’t need to constantly turn your electric circuits back on after they trip when you have a new pane.l
- Your electric system will be up to code after your new panel is installed
- You won’t need to be worried about any damage being done to new appliances and electronics when you have a new panel
When you install a new electrical panel in place of your old one, you might also be able to increase the value of your home. This is another reason why it’s a wise investment for all homeowners.
How Much Does an Electrical Panel Replacement Cost?
If you know that your home needs a new electric panel, you shouldn’t let the cost of replacing it stop you from doing it. On average, you can expect to pay between $1,500 and $3,000, depending on which type of electrical panel you want installed and how much work will be involved in installing it.
Your best bet is to shop for an electrician who can install an electric panel without breaking the bank. There are bound to be at least a few good options that will do excellent work in your home for an affordable price. Just try not to get too caught up on the electrical panel replacement cost and hire the cheapest electrician you can find. They might not do a great job while installing your new panel, and it could bite you later.
Who Should You Trust to Replace an Electric Panel?
There isn’t any shortage of electricians in the U.S. as of 2023. There are well over 230,000 of them at last count, and that number always seems to be going up every year. So, which electrician should you trust to work on your home’s electrical panel? You’ll want to look for some key qualities in the company you bring on board for your electric panel replacement project.
First and foremost, the electrician you hire should have a wealth of experience in providing residential electrical services. They should also have:
- Positive reviews from homeowners they’ve worked with in the past
- There are a variety of different types of electrical panels to choose from
- A schedule that will allow them to replace your electric panel as soon as possible
As we alluded to earlier, you’ll also want to locate an electrician who can replace an electric panel for you without costing you a fortune. They’ll also answer any questions about your current electric panel and the one you want to replace it with.
Can You Attempt to Replace an Electrical Panel Yourself?
Some homeowners will consider replacing an electric panel themselves in an effort to save money. Let us repeat: this is not how you should approach the electrical panel replacement process. The electric panel in your home will receive all the electricity that comes into it. Because of this, you will be in harm’s way if you attempt to remove an old electrical panel and/or install a new one.
Unless you’re a licensed electrician yourself, you should leave electric panel replacements to the professionals. It’s the only way to prevent injuries and maybe even deaths stemming from a DIY electrical panel upgrade. You might also do some severe damage to your home’s electrical system as a whole if you try to install a new electric panel on your own. You might make one little mistake that could affect this system for years.
You’ll get so much peace of mind by hiring an experienced electrician to work on your electrical panel versus trying to do it yourself. You’ll know that they got the job done right and that you can count on being able to use your new electric panel for the next several decades without a care in the world.
Call Hiller for All Your Electric Panel Needs
Has your home’s electric panel been causing problems recently? If so, you should take action before the issues get worse. Hiller can provide you with the necessary electrical panel repair and replacement services. We can also help you choose a new electric panel for your house and install it so you can use it immediately.
Contact us today to learn more about the importance of a fully functioning electrical panel in your home.
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