Hidden Danger - Electrical Panels

Sometimes, Utility Companies will experience brownouts or have low electrical availability, usually as a result of major storms or blown transformers. These are more than not isolated situations, and after a call to your electrical utility provider, you'll have your answer.

BUT…If your lights dim often, especially when you use appliances that pull a lot of power; like microwaves, hair dryers, and air conditioners or heaters, your electrical panel may need to be updated or replaced all together. You should consult an experienced electrician to find out if your home’s panel is still capable of providing the electricity you require for your home and your family needs. 

Your home relies on its panel for power, and the circuit breakers inside your panel are there to protect its electrical system from overloaded circuits, as well as short circuits. 

The breakers in a panel work by interrupting the flow of electricity if they detect either an overloaded circuit or a short circuit. Even though they work on their own, circuit breakers occasionally fail by neglecting to stop the electrical flow in the event of an emergent or dangerous situation. Broken circuit breakers don’t usually require a complete panel replacement. Instead, you should call an electrician to diagnose and replace the malfunctioning breaker.

Circuit breakers typically last for years without requiring maintenance, but when they start to malfunction, that means it’s time to take a closer look. When your electrical system causes a breaker to trip, you can usually just reset it; and that’s that, but if your breaker begins to trip on a regular basis, an overloaded circuit could be the issue.

Homes built 30 or 40 years ago were originally constructed with different electrical standards in mind. That doesn’t automatically mean your electrical system is unsafe, but it can mean that the system you have in place doesn’t support your modern day electrical demands. 

Back in the day; electrical panels weren’t made to accommodate multiple devices like Air Conditioners, Washing Machines/ Dryers, and 70 inch Flat-screen Televisions being used simultaneously! 

Regularly tripped circuit breakers, accompanied by overloaded circuits will typically end up requiring a completely new electrical panel; and a licensed electrician can advise you in knowing how much power your home really needs, after a routine inspection. 

The majority of homes that were built in the US some 30 or 40 years ago; were built with electrical panels that often topped out at 60 or 100 Amps. Our homes of today, are equipped with 200 Amp panels, to meet your family’s electrical needs, and usually there is still room for future growth.

A warm electrical panel, or a slight burning smell around the electrical panel, is usually the sign of a BIG problem. A warm or hot to the touch panel, more than not; means that the wiring behind the panel is exposed, or possibly frayed. Damaged or exposed wires lead to the loss of your breaker box, and quite possibly start a fire in your home. Calling out a professional as soon as possible is paramount when something like this comes to your attention.

A licensed electrician will remove the electrical panel and inspect the wiring for problems before replacing the panel service. By updating your panel and getting experienced advice; you can rest assured that your home’s electrical system is safe.

Electrical panels, very much like technology, have evolved over time. Many designs that were common in the mid-20th century no longer meet contemporary electrical needs. If your panel has a split-buss design, which relies on a half-dozen breakers instead of a single primary circuit breaker, a replacement panel might be in order. The split-buss design met homeowners’ needs 40 years ago, but the number of devices most homes power and the amount of power most homes need today; makes these outdated panels susceptible to overload. 

Some of the older panels manufactured 30 or 40 years ago haven’t been available for over a decade due to a long list of significant safety issues. Have a look at your breaker box or electrical panel to determine if it is out of date; or no longer being supported by the manufacturer. Below are examples of some outdated/ and or recalled panels.

Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Panels – These panels have been listed as unsafe. Federal Pacific panels are also responsible for causing thousands of house fires in the US, and are well known to short or ground out, which keeps the power on, when the circuit is switched off. In essence, it stops the circuit from tripping the breaker when it should. This can lead to an electrocution injury, or an electrical fire in your home. 

Zinsco Panels or GTE-Sylvania Panels – These panels have breakers that have a tendency to melt and adhere to the electrical receiving station in the panel. This means that if there was a power surge or an overload, the breakers would not trip to protect the wires from overheating. This can also start a fire in your home. 

Split-Bus Electrical Panels – These panels stopped being made over 40 years ago, and because they are old, the breakers are less likely to trip when they are supposed to. Yes, you guessed it! Possible fire in your home with this panel too.  

Fuse Box – These panels are more common in homes of today than the others. The biggest issue with these panels is that they tend to be modified by the homeowner as the electrical needs increase. Modifications to your panel(s) over time, can reduce the overall integrity of your panel(s) and thus, can also start a fire in your home.