About that Time: Signs Your Electrical Panel Needs Replacing
Chances are, you don’t spend much time thinking about your electrical panel unless the power goes out or you have to unplug a major appliance. However, the panel is the central hub of electricity in your home, therefore, it is vital that you check on it regularly to be sure it is functioning properly.
Like all home appliances and equipment, your circuit breaker panel will eventually get old and need replacing. The best electricians in Florida are here with 11 signs that your electrical panel needs replacing.
Let’s power through this list!
1. Your Electrical Panel Has Reached 25 Years Old
Nothing lasts forever, and that includes electrical panels. While the average lifespan for an electrical panel can range from 25-40 years, a panel over 25 years old is likely to have more issues. Problems could be caused by circumstances such as:
Power surges
Wear and tear
Manufacturer defects
Whatever the cause, it’s important that you receive a professional electrical inspection if you’ve had your panel for over 25 years to be sure it is still in working condition.
2. Something Smells Burnt
If your electrical panel or the surrounding area has a burnt or burning smell, it’s crucial that you call an electrician as soon as possible. A circuit breaker panel failure is a serious safety hazard that can result in electrical fires that damage your property and even your neighbors’ homes.
A burning smell from your electrical panel is typically caused by plastic or wood as the covering of the wiring melts and the surrounding materials are heated.
Do you smell burning anywhere in your home? It’s one thing to smell a burnt scent for a few minutes after turning your heater on in the winter, but if you smell anything apart from that, you're better off reaching out to Axiom Power.
3. Your Breaker Frequently Trips
Circuit breakers are built into electrical panels to protect homes from an overload of electricity. When circuits draw more power than they can handle, the circuit breaker will trip and shut off your power.
While this may be OK every once in a while, if it is happening frequently, it’s a sign that you should have your panel inspected.
4. You Don’t Have Enough Outlets
If you find yourself constantly needing to use power strips to plug in all of your devices, you might need an electrician to incorporate more dedicated circuits and new outlets into your electrical wiring.
Otherwise, you risk overtaxing a single outlet and tripping the circuit.
5. You Recently Installed a Large New Appliance
Plugging in a large new appliance such as a dishwasher or clothing dryer may have a higher draw on your electrical system than your old appliance.
Make sure to have a professional residential electrician inspect your system’s ability to support your new equipment. That way, you will know if it can be safely powered or if you need a new electrical panel with a higher capacity.
6. Your Panel Has Fuses Instead of Circuit Breakers
In theory, fused-based electrical panels are equally as safe as panels with circuit breakers to stop electrical flow. Unfortunately, panels with fuses can become overloaded much more easily. This is because when you ‘blow a fuse,’ you must actually replace the fuse. The convenience of simply switching a circuit breaker isn’t an option.
Many people don’t want to deal with replacing a fuse, so they will use fuses with too high a capacity, which can cause electrical fires.
Fuse-based electrical panels generally just can’t support our modern-day electrical needs.
It’s likely in your best interest to switch up your panel. Don’t stay stuck in the past while electricity flows forward!
7. The Panel is Hot or Warm to the Touch
Your electrical system regulated the temperature of your home’s electrical system to prevent any fire hazards. When the system begins to overheat, your circuit breaker should trip.
However, if your electrical panel is hot or even just warm to the touch, this can be a significant safety issue. Whether your panel needs to be completely replaced or other fixes need to be made, it’s important that you get one of our electricians out to troubleshoot the problem as soon as possible.
8. Rust is Forming on the Panel
Rust is almost always an indication of moisture, which means there has been some level of water damage to your panel. This is a serious problem that should not be taken lightly.
In addition to having the panel replaced, you must find the source of the water damage to prevent any future issues.
9. You Hear Strange Sounds from Your Panel
An electrical panel should always be silent, except for an occasional click if your circuit breaker trips.
Sounds such as buzzing or hissing are not normal. Do not ignore these kinds of sounds as they might indicate your electrical panel needs to be replaced.
10. Lights Flicker or Get Dim When Appliances are Plugged In
Using the oven or plugging in a fan shouldn’t have an impact on your lights. However, if you notice flickering or dimming of your lights when you plug in other appliances, your electrical panel can’t support the amount of power you are trying to draw.
11. Your Panel Has Been Obviously Directly Damaged
If your electrical panel receives direct damage, such as getting backed into with a car or hit with an object, it’s important to have the box checked out by one of our professional electricians.
SOLVED > Why Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping on Hot Days
Let Go of the Old and Bring in the New with Axiom
It’s important to remember that like any other part of your home, your electrical panel ages and eventually needs replacing. Whether your panel has experienced normal wear and tear, damage from lightning, or breakage from an obvious direct hit, it’s important to call in a professional.
A damaged electrical panel can be a serious safety hazard, so don’t let an electrical inspection slip to the bottom of your to-do list. Make it a priority to schedule an inspection with our pros at Axiom Power to keep your home and your family safe.
Call our residential electricity experts today - (813)-308-9328.