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Power Up: Knowing When To Upgrade Your Electrical Panel
- SEO Growth Partners
- Sep 26
- 7 min read
You’re standing in your kitchen when your lights begin to dim. Whenever you turn on certain appliances, this usually happens. It can also bring on flickering of your lights, like a sad dance party pulsing with no music.
Could this be an electrical power issue? When do you need to upgrade an electrical panel?
In this article, we’ll spark a discussion on how to know if your electrical panels need an upgrade, the potential advantages of doing so, and who to call for help.
Table of Contents
Why Might an Electrical Panel Upgrade Be Necessary?
Many of the appliances in your home are connected to the electrical panel. These appliances depend on high-efficiency electricity from a hard-working panel to keep up with their pace.
Amps, short for amperes, is the rate at which electrical charge flows through a conductor. It measures the amount and speed of electrons. The amperage needed for your panel depends on how electrified your home is — the more you electrify, the more power you demand.
While a 200-amp electrical panel is common for modern homes, older homes may still have electrical panels of 60-100 amps. This amperage is generally considered insufficient for modern electrical needs.
If you want your home to have sufficient capacity to serve all your electronics, you might need an upgrade.
Having issues with your current panel? PDX Electric can help.
Whether your current panel needs troubleshooting, replacement due to outdated equipment, or if you need more breaker space, we have the knowledge and expertise to solve your problem.
If you're looking for an experienced electrician in Portland, contact us today for a free estimate for your home electrical project.
How Do I Know If My Electrical Panel Needs an Upgrade? 10 Signs To Look For
#1: Frequent Tripping of Breakers
When the flow of energy gets too high, your circuit breaker is meant to shut off power as a safety measure to prevent:
Potential damage
Overheated wiring
Possible fire
If your breakers are flipping often, your panel might not be able to keep up with your electrical needs — your daily usage has outgrown what the panel was built for.
If you have an older home, it was most likely built in a time when fewer electrical appliances were used. Modern-day electrical demands can overwhelm an outdated panel.
Research indicates that an electrical panel having a higher risk of tripping, such as an outdated or unmaintained panel, can lead to electrical fires, damage to appliances, and electric shock.
#2: Dimming or Flickering Lights
It can be frustrating when you can no longer rely on consistent lighting in your home, especially in areas such as your kitchen or home office, where you need your lighting and appliances to function properly.
If you notice your lights acting funky, dipping in brightness, or quickly pulsing off and on while using appliances, it may be a small indicator telling you that now is when you need to upgrade the electrical panel.
Lights that continue to dim or flicker in your house may indicate:
An overloaded panel
A loose connection
Your current panel is struggling to regulate power flow
PDX Electric provides a range of electrical panel repairs, replacements, and upgrades that can help stabilize voltage levels and improve the performance of your home’s electrical system.
#3: Too Few Outlets
Do you find yourself using several power strips or extension cords to meet your electrical needs?
This may suggest that your home's electrical system doesn’t have enough circuits or capacity to safely power your devices, potentially leading to overheating and fire hazards.
A panel upgrade allows you to increase the number of outlets available to you in your home. You won’t have to worry about the potential complications of having to install new outlets in your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, or basement.
#4: Old or Outdated Panel
If your electric panel still uses fuses or has an outdated design, it may not meet current safety standards, posing potential issues like:
Safety hazards
Frequent power outages
Reduced efficiency of your electrical system
The demand on a home’s electrical system has increased dramatically. Fuse boxes were designed with fewer circuits compared to modern breaker panels and may not be able to handle the capacity of modern electrical loads efficiently.
Upgrading to a modern circuit breaker panel enhances safety and makes it easier to manage electrical issues.
#5: Strange Sounds From the Panel
A low, normal hum from the panel is usually nothing to worry about. However, if your panel is buzzing, significantly humming, or crackling, it may be a warning sign that you need to upgrade the electrical panel.
These unsettling noises coming from your electrical panel can reveal:
Damaged or loose wiring
Installation problems
Circuit overload
#6: Broken or Rusted Panel
If your electrical panel is broken or rusted, it may need immediate professional attention from a licensed electrician. Rust is especially dangerous as it indicates water exposure to the electrical panel. This may increase risk of:
Fires
Breaker malfunction
Electrical shocks
System failure
#7: Voltage Issues
Power surges of high and low voltage can put wear and tear on your appliances and can even damage them outright.
Voltage issues can create several problems for your electronics and appliances, such as:
Reduced Efficiency: Devices have to work harder to function properly, which can reduce their efficiency and lifespan.
Data Loss: For electronics like computers, a sudden voltage drop can lead to unsaved data being lost.
Motor Damage: Appliances that contain motors are sensitive to voltage changes, which can cause these motors to stall or fail.
Increased Utility Bills: Power surges can cause appliances to work inefficiently and consume more electricity, which can add up on your utility bill.
Too many appliances plugged into a single outlet or circuit can overload it, causing excessive heat buildup that may lead to sparks as the outlet struggles to handle the electrical load.
#8: Plans To Add More Appliances
If you are planning to add more appliances, a panel upgrade may provide increased power capacity and ensure reliable operation of these modern appliances.
Common appliances that you may be thinking of adding to your home might include:
HVAC systems
Hot tub
EV charger
Induction stove
Heat pump
Solar panels
And more
#9: Warmth or Heat
If you can feel warmth or hot spots around the panel, it may indicate overheating. If you detect a burnt odor coming from the panel, or you notice any discoloration, this may suggest that wires or other components within the panel are overheating or on the verge of melting.
A hot circuit breaker can be a fire hazard or mean underlying issues that might compromise the safety of your home’s electrical system.
#10: Upcoming Home Renovation
Renovations often include new:
Appliances
Lighting
Circuits
These modern additions may increase the overall electrical demand of your home, and your current electrical system may not be sufficient to support the additional load.
An upgrade can ensure that your renovated home has a safe and adequate power supply and meets current electrical codes and safety standards.
Advantages of Upgrading Your Electrical Panel
Although upgrading your panel may be expensive at first and you’ll have to be without power during the upgrade, there are several good reasons why making an upgrade is worth it. The following advantages explain why upgrading your electrical panel could be a promising investment.
Safety
The main safety advantage of installing a new electrical panel is the reduced risk of electrical fire and shock hazards. A new electrical panel may reduce the risk of electrical fires because it can help:
Make your circuit breaker more effective
Prevent overloads
Detect dangerous electrical arcs in faulty wiring and can quickly cut power before a fire can start
Modern electrical panels can reduce the risk of electrocution through:
Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs): These devices shut off a circuit the moment they detect a ground fault, protecting users from severe electric shocks.
Elimination of faulty components: An upgrade removes parts like frayed wiring and corroded connections that increase the risk of shock when accessing the panel.By reducing the risk of a fire and electrical hazard to your property, upgrading your electrical panel may help reduce your homeowner’s insurance.
In some cases, homeowners can even benefit from rebates and discounts from their local electric company because they decided to upgrade their existing panels.
Increased Electrical Capacity
Upgrading your panel allows you to run multiple high-demand devices at the same time without overloading your system.
No more flickering lights, no more tripping breakers — an upgraded panel increases your electrical capacity and provides the option for additional circuits to meet your modern electrical demands.
It also provides the opportunity for home improvements because you can easily add a new appliance, a room addition, or a renovation when you have increased electrical capacity.
An upgraded electrical panel may increase your home’s value as potential buyers look for safe and energy-efficient homes.
Greater Energy Efficiency
Researchers argue that as the need for climate change becomes increasingly urgent, so does the need for converting the use of fossil fuels to all-electric. The demand for more efficient energy through electricity requires an upgrade of electrical panels to meet modern-day home electrification needs.
Upgrading your electric panel and reducing energy consumption may save you money in the long run. Plus, an electrical panel upgrade can be written off as a tax credit.
Through the Electric Panel Upgrade Tax Credit, you can claim 30% of the project cost with up to $600 as a maximum amount credited.
In addition to limits on the amount of credit you can claim for panel installation, there are annual aggregate limits as well. Making qualified energy-efficient improvements to your home after January 1, 2023, may qualify you for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit for up to $3,200. You can claim the credit for improvements made to your home through 2032.
Let PDX Electric’s Professional Team Upgrade Your Electrical Panel and Further Electrify Your Home
Are you worried that your current electrical panel may be out of date?
Providing reliable electrical services in Portland and the surrounding areas, PDX Electric understands the importance of maintaining home electrical systems for safety and function.
In addition to electrical panel upgrades, PDX Electric provides:
Lighting installation
EV charger installation
Portable generator connections
Electrical panel repair
Hot tub electrical installation
Switch and outlet installation; and
Other electrical services
Our family-owned business is charged up and ready to take on any of your big or small electrical projects. Contact us today for a free estimate.
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