Should You Upgrade an Electrical Panel?

Upgrading your home’s electrical panels is a great investment, here’s why you should do it!

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An electrical panel can be a core component of your home’s electrical system, but that does not mean that they are invulnerable to any kind of wear and tear. Electrical panels are going to eventually wear out or start to fail, and that means either upgrading or replacing them. An upgrade can be the way to go. But how do you upgrade panels, and why upgrade over replacing?

Replacing Panels

Replacing electrical panels like circuit breakers can be an easy option for dealing with all kinds of faults, allowing you to get a brand new panel instead of having to fix the old one. However, a full replacement can be very expensive, costing far more than simply altering an existing one.

Replacing a panel also means working with the current electrical system, which can require serious technical help from an electrician. Even in the best circumstances, it can be hard to retrofit an old set of wires and connections to fit a new panel that might be twice the size or have a different layout.

There are situations where a full replacement is necessary, but not every scenario requires a brand new panel. Do not be afraid to look into upgrades and repairs instead, especially if those would be the more affordable option for you.

Repairing Panels

Repairing a panel can be a great solution to short-term problems, letting you repair parts of the system that has broken down while keeping all of the working components in place. If you are lucky, you can even get the new parts for a lower price than average, making it an affordable option.

However, repairing also has its limits. Repairs can help stave off wear and tear, but they do not actually make the panel any less effective at resisting that kind of damage. In extreme cases, the panel might wear out just as quickly, especially if you use sub-standard parts.

With older panels, there may not be easy sources which you can get the same parts from, especially if that model has been discontinued and is not being made anymore. Keep this in mind since some older homes may have been built just before major overhauls to circuit breaker designs.

Upgrading Panels

Upgrading panels can often be a good way to counter some major electrical and technical flaws. After repairing the panel itself, you can apply upgrades to make it function better, increase its total power limits, or even just give it more overall protection from damage.

For example, looking for an electrical panel upgrade available in Oak Grove, KY can give you a wide range of options, all of which can easily be installed by an experienced electrician. Most of these make your home electrical system even better, improving its electric capacity or safety features.

Remember that there is a range of different upgrades for standard panels, all of which can be adjusted slightly to suit different requirements or problems. The right upgrades can help keep an older panel up to date, meaning that it can support your modern power needs and appliances without breaking or tripping frequently.