Your home’s electrical panel performs many important functions, including keeping your electrical wiring system organized. It is also the place where you put all the most essential components of your electrical system for easy maintenance by electricians. Additionally, the panel is the main source of electrical current that is distributed to various circuits around the house.
So, you must ensure that your home’s electrical panel is rock solid and working effectively all the time. Like any other electrical system, electrical panels wear out over time. Therefore, your panel requires regular maintenance and upgrades in order to keep it working optimally. In this article, we will tell you how you can know when your electrical panel needs maintenance and upgrade.
Signs Your Home’s Electrical Panel Needs an Upgrade
Tripping Circuit Breaker
When an electrical panel nears the end of its useful lifespan, it becomes progressively vulnerable to power surges. This leads to recurring episodes of circuit disconnections. So, if you are always resetting your circuit breakers a few times a week and you rarely had to reset them in the past, you need to contact your electrician for an electrical panel safety check. After the inspection, your electrician will advise you to either repair the panel or upgrade it. However, you need to remember that circuit breakers can trip because of increased electrical needs that exceed the current capacity of your panel. So, have your electrical engineer check for increased power demands.
Burning Smell or Sparks
Although it is not unusual to have occasional sparks in your electrical panel, you should be worried if your panel has frequent or large sparks. Sometimes you might also notice a burning odor coming from the panel. All these could be signs of a defective circuit or weakened wiring. You should also check for discolored or warm power outlets. The only way to determine whether the cause of the sparks is faulty wiring or circuit overload is to hire an electrician for a comprehensive inspection.
Circuit Breaker that Doesn’t Reset
Resetting a tripped circuit breaker should, ideally, fix the problem and restore power in your home. So, if your breakers fail to reset after tripping, it’s a clear sign of a defective electrical panel. In that case, you should have it checked by a professional electrician and ensure the necessary remedial actions are taken immediately. In most cases, the best remedy is to upgrade your home’s electrical panel.
