Electrical panel upgrade, repairs St. Catharines ON
The main electrical panel is the metallic box that houses all the breaker switches. It accepts the main power to the home and distributes power accordingly to the remainder of the home. In the event of an oversupply of current, the electrical panel has built in circuit breakers to prevent an overload of power.
So why are we talking about electrical panel upgrades? First, before we delve into this topic, identify what you actually have. If you have an existing 200 amp breaker panel for your home, and you have few to no electrical disruptions, then you are set. You probably just need the occasional electrical inspection when needed. However, if you’re in an older home with an “ancient” fuse box or a low amp electrical panel, you may need an upgrade. Should you upgrade your electrical panel? That depends on a few factors. Ask yourself a few of these questions to guide you in the right direction:
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- Are you experiencing frequent electrical shorts and disruptions in your home? Are appliances and devices making funny noises or emitting unusual smells? If so, this could be a sign that your existing panel is struggling to keep up with your home’s power demands.
- Are you doing major renovations where you’re adding rooms or creating additional living space in the basement or elsewhere? If so, it may be time to upgrade to 200 amp service to keep up with this additional power demand the existing electrical panel or fuse box is unable to provide.
Wait, what’s the difference between a fuse box and an electrical panel? Do I have to replace a fuse box?
A fuse box serves to interrupt or break circuits in the case of excess current running through (exactly what a modern breaker panel does), but it is done with fuses. When a fuse burns out, it’s toast. It needs to be replaced. Having to replace fuses from the fuse box is not only inconvenient and potentially dangerous for the homeowner who is constantly playing around with the wiring system, but it is a sign that you may need to upgrade the fuse box to a circuit breaker.
What’s the investment?
The cost to upgrade to 200 amp service or the cost to replace the fuse box with a breaker panel run in the thousands. You’re looking at roughly $3,000 to $4,000.
Now, all individual situations are different, so call our St. Catharines electricians to assess and diagnose your home’s power demands and needs. In select cases, an electrical panel repair is all that is needed. However, if you’re experiencing too many electrical disruptions that’s not attributed to faulty appliances, but your appliances act up and there are clear signs insufficient power is distributed to your devices, it may be time to make this worthwhile investment.
If you’re looking for the best electrical panel upgrade in St. Catharines, or electrical panel repairs, contact us today for a no-obligation estimate and schedule an assessment.
