What You Should Know About Electrical Panel Replacement
Learn About Electrical Panel Replacement
Today’s homeowners are hands-on people. But most of us are so busy with family and careers we don’t have time to become expert electricians and home improvement professionals.
There’s a compromise that works for most of us: Learn as much as possible about how things work. You’ll not be at the mercy of an unscrupulous handyman. You’ll make informed decisions. And best of all, you’ll know enough not to put your family and property at risk because of a DIY repair or electrical installation.
Learn about electrical panel replacement.
Understanding Electrical Panels and Their Dangers
The circuit breaker is an incredibly simple solution
to a potentially deadly problem.
– Howstuffworks.com
Your home’s circuit breaker is a safety device. In fact, it’s probably the most important safety mechanism you have. If there’s danger, it shuts down power to your home. Without an electrical circuit panel, using the power of electricity in residences would be impossible.
Electricity is defined by:
- Voltage – What makes the electricity move
- Current – The rate at which the electricity moves through a conductor
- Resistance – The conductor’s flow equalizer
Fuses and switches on the circuit breaker box will interrupt the electrical flow if there’s a problem. But fuses – which are seldom seen anymore – only work once. Fuses melt when overheated. Switches flip off.
There are 3 main types of circuit breakers:
- AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter)
- GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter)
- Standard
More recently, DFCIs (dual-fault circuit interrupters) combine arc-fault and ground-fault safety protocols.
There are more than 51,000 home electrical fires every year. And almost 30,000 of those are arc-fault related fires. The problem? Older homes can’t handle today’s demands for electricity. Insurance pros say if your home is more than 40 years old , you need to schedule an electrical inspection.
Electrical Emergencies: Signs You Need Circuit Panel Repair/Replacement
It’s drastic but it actually happens: Some home insurance providers won’t insure a home (or they will, but omit fire coverage) if the electrical panel is outdated or unsafe. Please call us immediately if you have any of these signs you need a panel repair or upgrade :
- Adding larger appliances
- Age
- Appliances overheating
- Burning smell
- Electric panel discolorations
- Flickering lights
- Frequent tripping
- Fuses instead of switches
- Outlet/switch sparks
- Shocks when you touch outlets/switches
- Sizzling/popping sounds
DIY Electrical Work
…If you understand the process entirely from start to finish, know quite a bit about wiring, safety precautions, and everything required to do the job,
you can do it yourself.
– homeinspectioninsider.com
“I read a DIY electrical panel installation website,” said a neighbor. “By the time I got past the basics…which wires will electrocute, what to turn off and what to disconnect so I wouldn’t kill myself… I was completely intimidated.”
He said the list of basic DIY electrical repair included buying:
- Cable connectors
- Insulated flashlight
- Insulated tools:
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Wire strippers
- Overhead light source that doesn’t require electricity
- Rubber mat/plywood to stand on while working
- Safety goggles
- Voltage tester
Smart people are intimidated by danger and know when to partner with a professional electrician.
All You Need is 24/7 Local electrician
TIO Electric is a residential and commercial electrical contractor serving all of the Tucson and Phoenix Metro area including:
- Carefree
- Cave Creek
- East Valley
- Glendale
- Paradise Valley
- Peoria
- Scottsdale
