Much of our home’s fixtures are a leave-it-and-forget-it kind of thing. While we might do the dishes daily, we don’t need to rewire our home that often. Many home upgrades only take place because the existing system has failed. Your washer starts acting up, and you run out to a local retailer to buy a new one. However, one part of your home that you may want to consider upgrading is your breaker box. Here are four reasons to replace your electrical panel sooner rather than later.
You’re still using a fuse box
Mind you, we admit that we used both terms “breaker box” and “electrical panel” just now. That, however, was intentional. A fuse box is a much older style of electrical panel. When the small wire within the fuse received too much power, it would break and kill the electricity within that circuit.
Gradually, breaker boxes replaced fuse boxes over time. However, some older homes may still use a fuse box. Functionally, they do the same thing — stop the circuit from overloading and starting a fire. However, practically speaking a breaker box is more efficient and saves you the hassle of finding a fuse when one needs to be replaced.
You have a breaker box, but it’s more than fifteen years old
Let’s assume you have a breaker box, as most homes do. In fact, we’d be surprised to find a newer construction with a fuse box.
That being said, “newer construction” is relative. Some place the expected lifespan of a breaker box around twenty-five years. A few have even predicted that a well maintained breaker box can last upwards of 40 years. So why are we saying more than fifteen years old is the cut-off point for a replacement?
It’s a two-fold reason. One, some breaker boxes from the past few decades are under recall. The only way to know if yours falls under that category is to have it looked at by a professional. The second is all about your power needs. The modern home looks much different than it did even a decade ago. We have more “backyard oasis” types of features, home gyms are far more common, and the internet of things has taken over. Power needs are simply more intense than they were in years past.
You’re planning to add new features
Speaking of a backyard oasis, this is one of the biggest reasons to at least have your breaker box looked at, expanded with a sub-panel, or fully replaced. Pools, garages, hot tubs, and saunas all have more intensive power needs than your gaming consoles. The more big-ticket items you add to your property, the more power you’ll need. Replace your electrical panel with one that can cover all of your needs.
Your home keeps tripping breakers
Finally, if you’re continually tripping breakers, it could be that there’s a fault with your electrical panel. Replacing it today can help save the headache of resetting the breaker constantly — not to mention maintaining your home’s safety.
Other reasons to replace your electrical panel
There are, of course, other reasons to replace your electrical panel ranging from flickering lights to inadequate circuit setup. When you need someone to help you replace your electrical panel, turn to the experts: R&T Yoder Electric. Our team will treat you professionally from the moment we arrive until we leave. Contact us today to get started!
