Why Do You Need An Electrical Panel Replacement?
When your electrical panel becomes outdated or a hazard to your home, it’s time to replace it. Replacement is hands down the safest solution out there.

The cost to replace an electrical panel will be more than it would be to just fix it, but it’s worth the investment. A replaced panel will last you decades and won’t need fixed near as often, which will probably save you money in the long run over an old panel that needs repairs frequently. It’s a quick project, too, only taking about a day to complete. That means you won’t be out of power for long and can get back to your life as normal.

You likely know exactly where your electrical panel is in your home. It’s a large grey box, mounted to the wall, usually in a garage or laundry room. The panel takes in the electrical supply for your home, and then distributes it across the various circuits to power appliances and anything plugged into outlets. It’s also the place where you can flip a breaker off and back on to try to restore power to a certain area of your home.

When to Replace Your Electrical Panel
There are warning signs that indicate problems within your electrical panel. If you see any of these things, call an electrician immediately since they could cause major issues: frequently tripped breakers and blown fuses, overheated wires, sparking or shocks, a burning smell, or flickering lights. Some issues may not be as visible, but they’re just as dangerous. Those include improper grounding, rust damage, water damage, and insufficient breaker size or location.

If you have a suspicion there are problems, we’ll come out and assess your entire system from top to bottom. It’s better to catch faulty electric system issues before they cause injury or result in a fire.

So, how much does it cost to replace an electrical panel? If you’re replacing your old unit with a 200-amp box, which most homes need these days, the cost to replace an electrical panel will be between $1,000 and $3,000. Some cities, such as Des Moines, Iowa, will require a minimal home update when the panels are replaced. Some of the things required by those updates include getting 20A circuits to your kitchen countertop areas. Proper grounding of your electrical system and safety device installation like ground fault protection. Deaver knows each city’s requirements and can make sure you know what will be required so there are no surprises. It will vary depending on the amount of amperage you need and the time it takes to install. For a complete estimate, schedule an appointment for us to visit your home and assess the project in person.

Even though replacing an electrical box takes a good amount of money, we advise you to hire a professional to complete the project. Electrician work is dangerous to take on yourself if you don’t have the proper experience. When homeowners try to replace an electrical panel and it isn’t done right, you can run into two issues: 1. It may not pass inspection when trying to sell your home, 2. You could get seriously shocked while working on it, or accidentally start a fire. These are two situations you want to avoid if at all possible.