We upgrade service panels on a regular basis at Raynor Services. You should seriously consider calling on us for this type of service if your home was built 30 or more years ago – this is especially the case if your home is 50 years or older. Most of the homes built in the 1950s and 1960s still have their original Federal Pacific electrical panel. Not only are these panels notorious for failing, they are also blamed for many, many fires.
A service panel upgrade is a good idea, not only from a safety perspective, but also because of today’s electronics. Many appliances, such as washers and dryers and air conditioners, demand much more power than their predecessors did. The average older home simply wasn’t designed to handle that much demand. You can’t simply add more receptacles, because that will not increase your available power.
Signs You May Need a Panel Upgrade in Southern New Jersey
Call Raynor Services immediately if you notice any of the following warning signs.
- Your home is outfitted with a panel made by Federal Pacific – this is typical of homes built in the 1950s or 60s.
- Corrosion or rust is present on the circuit breakers or panel.
- Your breakers are constantly tripping, or your panel has fuses instead of circuit breakers.
- The panel is full, yet you want to add more circuits.
- You are considering a remodel or other type of home upgrade.
- Your existing panel does not conform to the electrical codes of your municipality.
Benefits of an Electrical Service Panel Upgrade in Southern New Jersey
Advanced service panels will allow you to add more circuits if needed, and can provide up to 400 amps of power. You will have peace of mind knowing your electrical system is much safer, and it will be more reliable as well.
Reasons to Upgrade Your Electrical Panel in Southern New Jersey
- Your present panel is unsafe – If your lights dim when you turn on your hair dryer, or your circuit breakers regularly trip, then you are probably using as much power as you can. A panel in an older home that uses fuses should be replaced by one that uses circuit breakers, because of the fire hazard presented by fuses. Many insurance companies do not insure homes with fuses.
- Your present panel is too small – You home very likely has its original 100-amp panel. As we already noted, modern appliances and other electronics demand more power, making this size of panel insufficient. If you want to remodel your kitchen or add a room, your present panel will probably not have enough room for the added circuits you’ll need.
