Austin, TX Electrical Panel Installation Services
The purpose of your home’s electrical panel also called a breaker box is to bring electricity from the electic company into your home and regulate how much of it is supplied to the individual circuits. A problem with your electrical panel can cause problems with one or more circuits in your home. It’s time to call in a professional if you find yourself constantly resetting tripped breakers or you notice that some of your outlets are not working. They can easily repair or install such electrical panels to your home.
Your home’s electrical panel may be situated in a utility closet, your garage, or outside on an exterior wall. In case of emergency, such panels can be easily accessed, and the homeowner should be familiar with its basic functions. There are certain brands of panels that are no longer safe for use, as well as old panels. If you are uncertain as to your panel’s age, or if you reside in an older house, it would be very smart to have an electrician perform an inspection to make sure everything is up to code.
When should you replace your electrical panel?
Breakers are used to control the amount of electricity that flows into a circuit. If a circuit is overloaded, the breaker will trip and the flow of electricity will be shut off. You might have faced this if in the same circuit you had multiple devices running at once. When you reset the breaker the situation is easily fixed already.
However, if this is happening regularly, you may need the help of a professional to get your old panel replaced with an upgrade so that all your power needs will be fulfilled. If just one breaker is tripping and the system is not being overloaded, then you might simply have a damaged breaker that needs to be replaced in order to solve the problem.
After having to replace several individual breakers, it might be time to consider whether your entire electrical panel needs to be replaced. If your panel has different brands or colored breakers, that is a sign that they have been replaced if you’re not certain of the history of your panel.
When you are about to replace an old appliance with something new you need to make sure that an electrician is present there to check its compatibility with the panel. This is especially crucial if the new appliance uses more power to function than your previous one did. If your new appliance is not compatible with your panel, then it may require a new panel.
More current boards are presently fitted with AFCI outlets, which shield wires from flames started by jumping electricity. Electrical panels installed prior to 1999 may not be equipped with AFCI outlets. Your home could be in peril if AFCI outlets are missing at the board or at the circuit starts around the home.
An electrician can investigate your board and outlets and survey your vulnerability. If your panel has no other issues, installing AFCI outlets at the end of each circuit may be more cost-effective than to remove the whole panel.
If there’s some rusting or corrosion near your panel, it might need immediate replacement. Worn out panels are vulnerable to fires, surges, and other damages.
Other signs that your panel needs replacing include:
- appliances overheating quickly when plugged in
- burning smell coming from panel
- burn marks on panel or outlets
- hissing
- popping or other noises coming from the breaker box
- melted electrical wires
- lights flickering when appliances are in use
- panel is warm or hot to the touch
If there’s anything unusual going on with the electricity in your home, it’s time to contact a professional. If you end up overloading your circuit, you could end up killing anything you plug into it. If you ignore the signs of a faulty panel, it can be hazardous and costly. A malfunctioning electrical panel could result in electrocutions or even a fire.
Electrical panels should last a fairly long time but will eventually be degraded by wear and tear. Wires can become either frayed or worn down. Many homeowners have a problem with mice or other rodents chewing on the wiring. A qualified electrician can diagnose your home’s electrical problems and recommend appropriate remedies.
You might need only to have a wire replaced, or the entire panel may need to be replaced. No matter what is needed, your electrician will be able to guide you through your options and get your new panel installed quickly so that you can have electricity in your home once again.
You should have a professional over to check on your panel if you want your household to be safe. Only an expert electrician should deal with an electrical panel repairment and replacement. Inexperienced people should stay away from electric works to avoid serious injury. Electricians are knowledgeable with all kinds of electrical work and will quickly provide safe electrical service for your home.