Panel Upgrade Pasadena
Call (626) 240-1986Electrical Panel Upgrade Pasadena
Electrical panels distribute electricity through the home and a panel upgrade in Pasadena may be the next step for you. Homes need stronger panels to regulate more electric usage. If your panel is too weak, using multiple electric devices will cause your breakers to trip often. To more efficiently use electricity in Pasadena, you may want to consider an electrical panel upgrade.
It’s possible that your home may not even have an electrical panel. Homes built before 1960 would have been built with fuse boxes instead of electrical panels because they didn’t exist. Fuse boxes and circuit breaker boxes have similar functions, but work differently. If you want to know more about them or if you’re interested to upgrade to a panel, you can read about it here.
There are different strengths of electrical panels. Weaker panels are usually located in older and smaller homes. Homes built after 1960 started replacing fuse boxes as the way to control electrical currents. Those panels were 60 amp panels and are not commonly seen anymore due to electric code updates. While your 60 amp panel may still function fine, finding replacement parts or circuit breakers may become increasingly difficult. It may be time to consider a panel upgrade!
100 amp panels are the minimum panel strength for the current electric code. They are still not common in modern homes. If your home is over 1,000 sq feet of living space, you will need or want a stronger electric panel.
Most modern homes today are built with 150 amp and 200 amp electrical panels. Large homes may even have 400 amp panels. Do you need more power? If you have strong redundant appliances, such as multiple refrigerators, freezers, or AC units, you may want to look into a power upgrade.
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I have a Fuse Box, Should I Upgrade to a Circuit Breaker?
It’s possible that your home doesn’t have a breaker. Before electrical panels or circuit breaker boxes existed, the fuse box was Pasadena’s way of distributing power through the home. Historic houses may still use fuse boxes In Pasadena, but they are very rare. If you have a fuse box and it still works, it may not need to be replaced. However, there are many advantages on having a circuit breaker. . If you are unsure if you should replace your fuse box, contact Pro Electrician Pasadena to get a free estimate.
When To Get a Panel Upgrade in Pasadena
When your electrical panel is not distributing electricity properly through your home, it can cause things to overheat and even burn. Panels break over time or you may need upgrading if you greatly increase your electric usage. Electrical panels should be replaced every 25 to 40 years. Look at several examples to see if it may be time to replace your current electrical panel:
✔ Burn smells – Burn odors when nothing is cooking is a sign that too much energy is making its way through the house.
Scorch marks around the outlet –Burn marks at the outlet indicate that too much electricity is building up at the socket area. Maybe this is the cause of the burn smell!
✔ A hot electrical panel – Also related to burning smells, a hot panel can quickly turn into an electrical fire if the heats builds too much. Burn smells from the panel should be investigated immediately.
✔ Small shocks when handling appliances – This may not be due to your electrical panel and can be the wiring or light switch as well.
✔ Flickering lights – One of the causes of flickering or dimming lights could be a stronger appliance sucking power away from a different circuit. If this is due to a weak electrical panel, you may need a panel upgrade.
✔ Breakers keep tripping – Anytime a circuit trips, it indicates that your home’s electricity is not being managed properly.
✔ Main breaker trips – The main breaker is a large separate breaker outside your electrical panel. If this trips, you will lose power to the entire home. This is a major sign a panel upgrade is needed.
There are many other great reasons to upgrade your electrical panel. You may expect to use a lot more electricity than before by installing a powerful appliance such as a central AC system. You may also be putting your house on the market to sell! Upgrading your electrical panel box in these instances may be great ideas.
If you are unsure if you have a problem with your electrical panel, let our top electricians at Pro Electrician Pasadena guide you on what is best for your home. Let us provide you a free quote or estimate for all your electrical needs!
Why Choose Our Electricians for a Panel Upgrade in Pasadena?
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✔ Licensed and insured electricians
✔ Experienced in panel installation, repair, and upgrade
✔ Serving Pasadena, Alhambra, Arcadia and nearby cities
✔ Highly skilled and experienced
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✔ Honesty and workmanship
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✔ Affordable cost
Electric Panel vs Fuse Box
Upgrading a fuse box to an electrical panel is almost always for convenience. The convenience is the ease of resetting a tripped circuit breaker vs replacing a fuse.
If you want to have GFCI outlets in your home, you may also want to upgrade your fuse box. GFCI outlets are extra protection outlets in your kitchen and bathrooms, areas that typically experience increased electric usage. They are now part of the electric code. Fuse boxes are NOT compatible with GFCI outlets though. If you would like to install GFCI outlets in your bath or kitchen, you will need to switch your fuse box to an electrical panel.
Lastly, electrical panels adds value to your home! You may not mind using a fuse box, but if you’re selling your home, your buyer may not want one! Electrical panel boxes can start at $1,500. This is a small price for a home upgrade and most real estate agents will recommend it.
There are many factors involved with the installation. To get an accurate quote, Pro Electrician Pasadena can help you out! Ask for your free quote and we’ll take care of everything.
Get a Free Quote For a Panel Installation in Pasadena and Nearby Cities
Are you looking for an electrical panel installation or replacement in Pasadena and nearby cities? We are happy to walk you through it. We can provide free quotes for a panel upgrade in Alhambra, Arcadia, Pasadena and nearby cities. If you need electricity to get to places further from the main panel you may benefit from a sub panel installation Pasadena, instead. Common examples are garages, upstairs, or room additions. Call us for a quicker service or if you prefer, fill out the Quote Form with as much detail as you can.
FAQs
What is an Electrical Panel?
An electrical panel distributes and regulates the electricity in your home to the different circuits that need power. If too much electric current goes through any circuit, heat builds and it can cause a fire. Electric panel boxes prevent electrical fires using circuit breakers to terminate electric flow if heat gets too high. The electrical panel is an essential part of electric safety for all homes.
Electrical panels go by many names. You may also know it as an electric panel, circuit breaker box, load center, and a variety of different names using these words.
What is Fuse Box?
Fuse boxes do not use circuits, they use fuses. Instead of tripping, a fuse will absorb excess heat from a current to the point where it breaks! When this occurs, it’s known as a blown fuse. After burning out, the fuse will no longer work but electricity will not be able to go through the circuit.
Even though the fail safe mechanism is different, circuit breakers and fuses function in almost the same way. The obvious advantage for a circuit breaker though is that it can easily be reset, like turning a light switch. When a fuse is blown, it must be replaced for that circuit to work again. Fuses are not expensive, but the process of constantly buying and replacing them can be very annoying. Because of this, electrical panel boxes have totally replaced fuse boxes since the 1960s and beyond. If you are unsure about upgrading your electrical panel in Pasadena, give us a call to discuss your options.
