Are you worried that your home's current electrical system may be outdated? An electrical service panel upgrade may be necessary in order to ensure your family's safety and avoid any potential hazards down the road. Keep reading to learn about three signs that indicate your home needs one.

Outdated Electrical Service Panel

One of the most obvious signs that you should get an electrical service panel upgrade is having an outdated panel installed in your home. The age of your home's current system can easily be determined by checking its rating label, which should include information such as its manufacturer, model number, voltage rating, and amperage rating. If these ratings are lower than what is currently recommended for residential homes, then this could indicate that it needs to be replaced as soon as possible due to the increased risk of short circuits or fires caused by overloaded circuits and wiring.  

Frequent Circuit Breaker Trips     

If you find yourself resetting circuit breakers due to overloads in certain areas of your house or appliances tripping them off regularly without explanation, it may be an indication that you require an electrical service panel upgrade. This could mean that too much power is being drawn through certain circuits, which can lead to wiring damage if left unresolved. It is important to note that some older panels may not have enough space for additional circuit breakers. Replacing your panel will give you the ability to add additional circuit breakers should the need arise in the future, such as when installing new lighting fixtures or central air conditioning systems.

Burned-Out Receptacles

One more indication that you might need an electrical service panel upgrade is if there are a few outlets around your home that appear darker or burned-out when compared to the others, even after resetting them multiple times from the breaker box switch within the same area as the receptacles. This could be a sign of serious problems in the wiring or other components such as switches and breakers leading to the receptacles. It is crucial that qualified electricians be contacted as soon as possible to avoid any potential fire risks that are associated with these issues.

There are many reasons why homeowners should consider getting their homes' electrical service panels upgraded, especially when faced with any combination of the three signs listed above. If you find yourself in such a situation, it is important to contact a licensed professional electrician immediately for further assessment and advice on which type of electrical service panel upgrade would best suit your needs. Doing so will help ensure that your family remains safe and any potential hazards are avoided in the future. For more information about service panel upgrades, reach out to a local service.