The electrical panel is the central component of your home’s electrical system. A well-functioning panel helps you avoid things like electrical fires, electrocution, and other hazards. It also protects your appliances and devices and helps to ensure optimal energy efficiency. If you have an old or poorly maintained panel, it may be time to have a licensed electrician replace it. Let’s explore the signs that it’s time for a panel upgrade.
Electrical Panel Age
The 50-year mark is the upper limit for how long a modern electrical panel can last with routine maintenance. Most older homes in Springfield, MO don’t have a modern panel. Older panels are usually no longer code-compliant. They also tend not to have enough amp coverage. There’s often not enough room for additional circuit breakers, which may be necessary as we expand our electrical needs to include things like EV charging stations. Older panels tend to have faulty or inoperative components that are difficult to replace individually. This includes things like fuses, relays, bus bars, main breakers, circuit breakers, and terminal blocks.
Code Compliance
The National Fire Protection Association is responsible for maintaining the National Electrical Code. It updates the NEC every three years. Most states use the NEC as the basis of their building codes. It’s important to note that there’s no legal obligation for a homeowner to upgrade their electrical panel because the NEC changed. That said, you may need to upgrade whenever you perform a home improvement that requires a permit and inspection.
While you may not have to make your panel code-compliant, it’s worth considering. This is particularly true after multiple NEC updates. At that point, the panel in your home can be far behind modern standards for energy efficiency and electrical hazard prevention. Consider that most modern homes have ground-fault and arc-fault circuit interrupters. GFCIs help to avoid water-related injuries and deaths, such as in bathrooms and kitchens. AFCIs help to avoid electrical fires by preventing arcing in rooms like bedrooms and living rooms. There are also combination GFCI-AFCI devices for circuits where you need both safeguards.
Another consideration is whole-house surge protection. While it’s sometimes possible to add a surge protection device to an existing panel, it’s often best to upgrade the panel. The NEC added the surge protection requirement in 2023. Homes built before then usually don’t have that upgrade. The NEC requires a Type 2 SPD, which safeguards against indirect lightning strikes and internal surges from generators and heat pumps. While not required by code, you can add a Type 1 SPD as well. It safeguards against direct lightning strikes and anomalous grid power. Those aren’t common events but can cause devastating damage when they occur.
Panel Doesn’t Provide Enough Amps
For new homes, the NEC requires electrical panels with 100 amps minimum. Despite that, most builders don’t install anything less than a 150-amp panel. In larger homes, it’s not unusual to have a panel that handles 250 amps or more. The modern American home is significantly more power-hungry than several decades ago. It’s not unusual for older homes to have panels that are between 40 and 60 amps. If you have less than 150 amps, you should upgrade to reach that standard. You may want to consider upgrading beyond that if you’ll be adding a:
- Major appliance
- Solar panel setup
- Standby generator
- EV charging station
- Tankless water heater
- High-efficiency HVAC system
Not Enough Outlets and Lights
A common problem is never having enough outlets and lights in the rooms a household uses most. If you have a relatively new panel, it may have enough room that your electrician can add more to it. If it doesn’t have more room, which is a common issue with older panels, you’ll have to upgrade it. The reason is that a circuit can only have so many devices on it. You can’t simply add more and overload the circuit in the process. The upside is that replacing your electrical panel is an opportunity to add as many outlets and lights as you need. You can add outlets with advanced features, such as integrated surge protection, USB connections, and Ethernet ports. You can add more switches and dimmers too.
Signs You Should Upgrade Your Electrical Panel Immediately
If you’ve experienced an electrical fire or short circuit related to your electrical panel, experts recommend replacing it. Continuing to use it simply isn’t worth the risk. You should also monitor for indications that something is wrong and it’s time to upgrade.
Flickering or Dimming Lights
A common problem is lights that dim or flicker, but the circumstances matter. A one-time issue could be grid-related. It can also indicate a problem with the light receptacle or bulb. If you experience this problem when you use another appliance, this often indicates a panel-related issue. Another sign your panel is the problem is experiencing multiple flickering lights throughout the home.
Frequent Circuit Breaker Tripping
Tripped circuit breakers are another potential sign you need a panel replacement. Isolated trips here and there aren’t cause for concern and are just the breakers doing their job. If you have one breaker that keeps tripping, it may be an appliance or other device on that circuit. It could also be that the breaker itself has worn out and needs replacement. If you’re experiencing tripped breakers across the panel, it usually indicates a broader electrical problem.
Panel Is Hot to the Touch
The electrical panel itself should never be overly warm to touch. Slight warmth is not unusual when there’s heavy electrical activity. Plastic knobs and circuit breakers may be a bit warmer to the touch than other elements due to the material. If it’s hot to touch, it could indicate a bad breaker. It could also indicate more serious problems, such as too much power running through the system, overloaded circuits, and bad wiring.
Loud or Odd Noises
It’s normal to hear a light hum or buzz when you’re near the panel. A loud buzz or humming isn’t normal. These sounds may suggest faulty wiring, loose connections, overloaded circuits, or worn breakers. Circuit breakers and other components can also cause clicking and popping noises. If you hear crackling or sizzling, that can be due to arcing, which is quite serious.
Unusual Smells
A well-functioning panel shouldn’t give off noticeable smells. A burning smell indicates that some components are overheating. You may also notice smells that some describe as fish- or urine-like. That usually means that wire insulation is burning.
Upgrade Your Electrical Panel in Springfield
For over 15 years, All Klear has served Springfield homeowners and the surrounding areas as well. We’re an award-winning and BBB-accredited company. Our licensed electricians are available for inspections, repairs, and upgrades. That not only includes electrical panels but also surge protection, standby generators, EV charging stations, and outdoor and indoor lighting. Our plumbing team pipes and repipes gas, water, and sewer lines and offer both excavation and trenchless services. We install and service tanked and tankless water heaters, garbage disposals, sump pumps, and water treatment systems. Our HVAC technicians install and service air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, and mini-splits. We also install and service air purifiers, ultraviolet lamps, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.
Call All Klear today to book an appointment, or request service or a consultation online.
