3 Signs That Your Home Is In Need Of An Electrical Panel Upgrade
While the electrical panel in your home might not seem like much to look at, it plays an extremely important role in the overall functionality and safety of your home. Electricity is a part of each and every one of our daily lives. We make such frequent use of it that it can actually be difficult to think of an aspect of our average day that doesn’t depend on it to some degree or another. Because it is such a common part of our lives, it is easy to take it for granted, until you have to go without it for some reason. This is where your electrical panel comes in. Your electrical panel is responsible for directing the flow of power from the lines outside of your home into all of the various rooms of your home, and if your electrical panel is older, or isn’t functioning like it should be, you could quickly find yourself in a situation that is inconvenient, dangerous, or both in no time at all. Like all other technologies out there, your electrical panel does the best it can, but it requires an upgrade from time to time in order to keep your home functioning at its best. How are you supposed to know when it’s time to upgrade your home’s electrical panel though? Fortunately, our team of electrical service professionals have taken the time to put together this short list detailing some of the signs that you can be on the lookout for that might let you know when your electrical panel is telling you that it’s time for an upgrade.
Your Home Is Older
There is something to be said about older properties. Older homes tend to be constructed in a highly practical manner, and there are many homeowners today who seek out older homes for their retro feel and atmosphere. However, older homes tend to have their own set of problems from time to time, and one of those issues tends to be aging electrical systems or electrical panels. While the panels on most older homes were designed to handle the kind of electrical load that was required by homes back then, most simply aren’t equipped to deal with the kind of electrical demands that we put on them today. If you aren’t sure about the age of your older home’s electrical panel, be on the lookout for any appliances that don’t seem to be running at peak efficiency, lights that flicker when you turn on power to anything else, or tripping breakers whenever you have one or more appliances running at the same time. This is a surefire sign that your home’s older electrical panel is due for an upgrade.
You Rely On Extension Cords
While extension cords are a common feature in many homes, they aren’t always as safe or convenient as you might think. Extension cords are designed for short term use at best, and aren’t meant to be put to frequent use around the house. In addition to forming a tripping hazard around your home, extension cords can start to short, overheat, or damage your outlets fairly quickly if you aren’t careful, and if you find yourself relying on them. An over reliance on extension cords around the house is a sure sign that your electrical panel is in need of an upgrade, and that it might be time to install some new outlets around the various areas of your home where you find yourself using extension cords most frequently.
You Have Fuses Instead Of Breakers
If you have a home that was built sometime before the 1970s, you might still have a fuse-based electrical system in place. While fuses essentially serve the same kind of function that circuit breakers do, fuses are a much more outdated method. Fuses don’t trip in the same way that circuit breakers do when they’re overloaded, and will instead either melt, blow, or short circuit. While this was fine back in the day when they didn’t have to absorb an excessive amount of electricity, the average home uses a much greater amount these days, and a blown fuse now can be much more dangerous than it used to be years back. If you have an electrical panel that still uses fuses, it might be in your best interest to get in touch with a professional like Old-Fashioned Electric and let them upgrade your home’s electrical panel.