At the heart of every residential electrical system is one or more electrical panels that control the flow of electricity through your Dickinson home. For the most part, electrical panels operate silently without much need for maintenance or repair. However, there are some circumstances when it makes sense to replace your home’s current electrical panel so that you can maintain your home’s safety. To ensure you only replace your electrical panel when it’s actually necessary, check out this article from Mackey Services to learn about specific replacement conditions.
Understanding Electrical Panels
An electrical panel is essentially the “traffic cop” of your home’s electrical system. The main power input comes into your electrical panel from the utility provider. After it receives this power, your home’s electrical panel divides this power and sends it to the different circuits throughout your home. Each of these circuits is represented by a breaker, which is a type of safety switch that can interrupt the flow of electricity. Maintaining a safe electrical environment is an important function of electrical panels. If a particular circuit draws too much power, the breaker that controls that circuit will trip, stopping the flow of electricity. This can help prevent electrocution, fires, and other hazardous situations.
It’s Been a While
Electrical panels have a finite lifespan. Since various factors can affect the service life of an electrical panel, the general guidance is that electrical panels will last from 25 to 40 years. If you know that your electrical panel is older than 25 years old, it’s a good idea to call Mackey Services for a thorough panel inspection. Electrical panels wear out over time due to the heat that’s created as electricity flows through the panel. Furthermore, the electrical resistance materials in the breakers can begin to break down over time, reducing their ability to trip during a surge event. Plus, many new electrical panels have features that can help you use electricity more wisely and help lower your utility bills.
Power Is Lacking
If you are renovating or adding to your home, it’s a good idea to call Mackey Services for an electrical panel check-up. In many cases, renovations and additions mean more outlets and more electrical devices in your home. If your current electrical panel was installed when your home was built, there’s a chance that it won’t be able to take on the additional electrical load safely. Adding a new electrical panel gives you plenty of flexibility so that you can make sure that your dreams and plans for your home become a reality.
Finding Fuses
Breakers haven’t always been the gold standard for safe electricity handling in electrical panels. Older electrical panels used screw-in fuses that had to be replaced individually if a particular circuit overloaded. To be sure, screw-in fuses are a lot safer than the electrical systems that were put into homes built before the 1940s. However, screw-in fuses just can’t match the protection or convenience that a modern breaker panel can provide. If you move into a new home and discover a fuse-type electrical panel, it’s a good idea to have Mackey Services inspect your entire electrical system in addition to replacing the electrical panel. That’s because fuse-type panels are sometimes found in situations where the homeowner has ignored the state of the overall electrical system.
Running Warm
In general, excessive heat resulting from electricity is not a good thing. Whether this heat is found in wires, outlets, or electrical panels, hot electrical components can cause devastating fires that can be difficult to extinguish. A warm electrical panel is especially concerning because there are usually large safety margins built into the capacity that electrical panels can handle. In other words, if your electrical panel is warm, something is seriously wrong. A warm electrical panel can occur if the panel is overloaded due to excessive electrical draw. If the breakers malfunction, which they sometimes do, and don’t trip to interrupt the flow of electricity, you can end up with a dangerous situation. A new electrical panel can help restore that margin of safety and equip you with all-new breakers to effectively stop electricity in its tracks.
Constant Tripping
If you have certain breakers in your electrical panel that are constantly tripping, you may want to think about replacing the panel. In general, breakers repeatedly trip for two reasons: either the circuit is overloaded, or there is something wrong with the breaker. If the circuit is overloaded, you’ll need to remove some of the devices on that circuit to stop the condition. However, if you need all of the devices on that circuit to stay on that circuit, then you’ll need to upgrade or replace the electrical panel to continue safely operating those devices. If there’s a problem with the breaker, you may be able to replace the individual breaker to correct the problem. However, if you have multiple defective breakers, it is a potential sign that it’s time for a new electrical panel from Mackey Services.
Flickering Lights
Having flickering lights in your home can be an annoying problem. Importantly, this issue can also be a sign of a more serious problem with your home’s electrical panel. A flickering light is often the first sign that an electrical circuit is overloaded. Of course, if a circuit is overloaded, you’ll need to upgrade the breaker on that circuit to avoid issues. However, if you encounter multiple flickering lights in multiple rooms in your home, you may be dealing with something bigger than a simple overloaded circuit. Whole-home electrical problems can be a sign that your electrical panel is failing. In any event, it’s important to have Mackey Services come to your home to inspect your entire electrical system to identify the source of the problem.
Unusual Smells
If you notice unusual smells coming from your electrical panel, you’ll need to get help from Mackey Services right away. Any type of odor coming from an electrical panel is often a precursor to an electrical fire. As with other electrical panel problems, you might notice unusual smells coming from the panel if one or more circuits are overloaded. You might also encounter problems if pests have gotten into the electrical panel and built nests that are interfering with the proper operation of your panel. This is especially a concern if your electrical panel is mounted outside. If your electrical panel has been damaged in any way, it’s usually best to err on the side of caution and have a new panel installed.
Taking Care of Your Home’s Electrical System
At Mackey Services, our top goal is to keep our customers safe and comfortable in their homes. That’s why we offer inspections, repairs, and replacements of all types of electrical panels. We also install generators, repair air conditioners, install whole-home surge protectors, maintain furnaces, and perform commercial heating and cooling services. For over 30 years, we have been working hard to provide excellent customer service delivered with a smile. This commitment to our customers is one big reason why we consistently earn five-star customer reviews. To learn more about your home’s electrical panel, contact us at Mackey Services today.
