Most homeowners don’t give the electrical panel much thought, until it starts acting up.
You’ve probably seen your electrical panel a bunch of times before. It’s a grey box hanging on the wall, usually in the basement. You open the little door on the front has a bunch of switches, called breakers, inside that monitor the flow of electricity throughout your home. Most homeowners don’t give the electrical panel much thought until it starts acting up.
The Age of Your Property
So many homeowners prefer to live in older homes. These properties offer character and design features that you just don’t see in newer homes. With that said, your old home may come with an old electrical panel. Gone are the days of the simple 60-amp panel to power the whole home. Today, we have more electronic devices than ever and that means that we need more electricity than ever. Most modern homes use a 100-200-amp electrical panel.
Fuses or Circuit Breakers
If your home was built before the 1970s, you should strongly consider a panel upgrade. That’s because up until that time, most electrical panels used a fuse system instead of circuit breakers. These fuse systems were extremely unsafe. Instead of just tripping a circuit breaker, when the fuses got overloaded they would blow, melt, or short-circuit. This caused a fair bit of damage and frequently caught fire.
Constantly Tripping Breakers
Circuit breakers are designed to trip when there is an inconsistency in the electrical flow. They automatically shut off if there is a problem. If you find yourself running to the breaker box every time you use a hairdryer, or run the microwave and the toaster simultaneously you may want to consider updating your electrical panel. Not only is it irritating to have to switch breakers on all the time, it could become a safety issue.
For ALL of Your Residential or Commercial Electrical Needs, Call TriStar Electric!
No matter the job, big or small, the professionals at TriStar Electric will be happy to discuss your project and answer any questions or concerns you may have. We offer free in-home consultations, plus an after-hours and emergency phone line for advice or service!
If you have any questions about our electrical repairs or upgrades, please contact TriStar Electric, Maryland’s premier residential and commercial electrician, by calling 410-799-5791 or 301-384-8880. Or, you can fill out the contact form on our website.
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