How To Tell If You Need A New Breaker Panel

At some point, it happens to all of us. Our home’s electric acts up and we need a new breaker panel. If this sounds like your current situation, turn to Deaver Electric. We’ll show you how simple getting a new circuit breaker panel can be. We’ll take care of everything. The estimate, the scheduling, the product ordering, and the installation — you won’t have to worry about a thing.

The million-dollar question — how much will it cost you? New breaker panels can range from $1,500 – $2,250 depending on how many circuits you have, the current state of the panel, and the amperage involved. If you’re going to purchase an electrical breaker panel on your own and have someone else install it, make sure the panel you select conforms to code requirements. You can check with local authorities and your utility company to ensure it does. Stay away from the “reconditioned” breakers you can find online, as those usually won’t pass inspection.

As tempting as it can be, it’s not recommended to install a new breaker panel on your own. Sure, it will save you some money, but you might not get it done right, which could cost you even more down the road. Even worse, you could be injured during installation if you do not have adequate experience. It’s best to leave this one to the pros.

When you have faulty breaker panel wiring, you will likely see the signs before the issue escalates to something more dangerous. It’s important to be able to identify them and analyze what you see. Here are a few common electrical issues that could be stemming from your main breaker panel:

Tripping Circuits
Circuit breakers are designed to trip when one of the circuits is overloaded, but if your breaker is old it might just be tripping because it needs replaced. You can try plugging in the appliances on that circuit into a different outlet, but if it keeps tripping, it’s time to consult a professional.If your home was built between 1950-1990 and you have a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok brand breaker, it is not safe. This is a common brand that has now been recalled for those years. Call your electrician as soon as possible to have it checked, and possibly, replaced.

Electrical Shocks
It’s not normal to get shocked or feel a tingle when touching an appliance in your home. If you do feel these things, you could be looking at an issue like improper wiring or a ground fault in the appliance. Note that during colder months, you may feel small shocks after walking across carpet, but that stems from static electricity, which is different and not an electrical concern.

Hot-to-the-Touch Fixtures
If the area around a ceiling light is warm, or the fixture exceeds the maximum wattage recommended for the bulb that’s in it, the fixture could overheat. Too much heat can result in a fire hazard, posing a serious threat. If you come across this issue, call the team at Deaver as soon as possible.