The Importance of a Good Electrical Panel

Whether you are purchasing a new home or rewiring an older house, one of the most important components of your electrical system is your electrical panel. It is the central point of distribution for your home’s electricity and contains rows of switches that control power to different areas of the house.

A modern Electrical Panel can last anywhere from forty to fifty years if it is kept in good repair. However, if your electrical panel is more than twenty five years old, it may not be functioning at its full capacity. It is not uncommon for older homes to have electrical panels that are unable to handle modern electrical demands. These panels may have fuses instead of circuit breakers and you should consider upgrading to a newer electrical panel if your home uses a large amount of electricity.

An electrical panel contains a series of circuit breakers that cut off power to specific circuits when necessary. Some of these circuits are dedicated to certain appliances while other circuits can be used to power a variety of devices. A single circuit may even control the lights in a kitchen.

You should always look for a breaker box that has a small door with a side swing. This allows you to shut off power to the affected circuits in an emergency. A breaker box may also be painted to blend in with the rest of the home. If it has a burning smell, it is an indicator of more serious issues. If the cover is hot, it means that the breaker is not tripling.

In a nutshell, an electrical panel is a large metal box with wires, switches, and circuit breakers that control the electricity in your home. You can find these boxes near the basement, utility room, garage, or in out-of-the-way areas of your home. If you need to replace your electrical panel, it usually takes eight to ten hours to do the job. Depending on the complexity of your project, you may need to call an electrician.

When rewiring a home, you may need to replace your fuses with circuit breakers. If you do, you will need to know the name of the device you are replacing. In fact, the name of the device should be written clearly on the label. When you are rewiring your home, you may also need to replace your fuse box. This may not be a great idea if you want to keep your home insurance policy. Fuse boxes are not as safe as circuit breakers and you may not get the full benefit of your insurance policy.

It is also important to understand the function of the various components in your electrical panel. If you do not understand how an electrical panel works, you may have trouble fixing your problem. A professional electrician can help you determine what needs to be done and make the necessary repairs.

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not to upgrade your electrical panel. You should consider the size of your home, the type of panel you want to replace, the amperage of your current panel, and the state regulations that pertain to your project.