Do I need Higher Amperage Electric Panel in my home?

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Electric panels are essentially the hearts of our homes. They serve as the reception points for power supplied by utility companies and they distribute it to the lights, appliances, and outlets present in the home. It is best that such an important component is functioning at optimum conditions. There might be a need for you to replace the electric panel currently carrying electrical power all over your home.

When Do You Need To Replace Your Electric Panel With One Of Higher Amperage Rating?

Electric panels are rated in amperages. Amperage is essentially the quantity of electric current that the panel can handle. The current electric panel in your home might need to be replaced with another with a higher rating if

• It is old: Old buildings, especially those built in the 1940s and the 1950s are known to have panels with lower ratings. If you are moving into an old building and the current electric panel is just as old then you might need to replace it. It might no longer be able to handle its rated load or perhaps there are already too many replaced parts in it. Whatever the case may be, you should replace the old one with a higher rated one, to allow for the possibility of loading it with newer appliances.

A major sign that the electric panel is old is that it uses fuses rather than breakers. You can also check for the age of your panel by check if it is compliant with the current standard codes. You should also check if it has parts that are rusted or corroded.

• Your circuit breakers are tripping at random times: sometimes the circuit breakers trip off and the frequency becomes annoying. The reason for this tripping might be because your electric panel can no longer handle all the electrical load you are putting on it. In this case, the breaker is said to be overloaded. There might also be short circuits or ground faults. These are also known causes of a circuit breaker tripping.
• You are planning on adding new electrical appliances to the home: If you are considering bringing in new appliances into the home, you might need to consider getting a higher-rated panel. Some appliances like electric hot water heaters, electric stoves and dryers are known to draw high levels of electric current from panels. If you are adding these kinds of appliances to your home, you might need to get a higher-rated panel.  A higher rated panel will allow you to add these new appliances without having to worry about if the panel can handle the task or not. This also applies to situations where you need more power but you have maxed out all the circuits on your current electric panel.