When and why do I need a Electric service change?

There are several reasons you might need an Electrical service change. At Quality Contractor Services Inc. the majority of our work comes from insurance companies demanding a service be changed after a home sale. Many of these panels are over forty years old or more. From the old style glass fuses to the discontinued and dangerous services that are no longer UL approved. I will list below the reasons for most service changes.

#1. Federal Pacific, Challenger and Zinsco panels and breakers have proved to be obsolete and even dangerous due to breakers failure to trip when overloaded. These panels are almost always suggested to be changed by home inspectors and insurance companies. I make it a point not to use scare tactics when selling a new service but suggest you Google these particular brands and form your own opinion.

#2. The Bussing system is the back bone of your electrical system. Many times the interior connection points become corroded. The buss system of the panel can become burnt and pitted causing a bad connection at the breaker. This can cause heat and fluctuations in voltage dangerous to electric appliances. It is only a matter of time for a burnt buss to fail.

#3. Running out of breaker space is another reason to up grade but not always necessary. If you panel is rated at 150 amps or less and out of breaker spaces I would suggest an upgrade to a 200 amp service. If you have a 200 amp service in good condition I would suggest load calculations to be done on the house. With all of today's electrical equipment it's common to have many circuit breakers to supply devices that might be rarely used. Many times after doing load calc's it is possible to add a sub panel next to the main panel for additional breaker spaces. Most electricians would rather do a full service change so get a few opinions before doing an upgrade because of no breaker spaces available. I recently added a sub panel for $400.00 and resolved the owners problem. Two other electricians recommended up grading to a 400 amp service and their bids were $4,600.00 and $6,000.00.

#4. Many times a electric service will need to be relocated due to adding a patio, structure or pool to meet safety requirements of the power company. I would suggest always up grading to a 200 amp service in these instances if a smaller one is currently in use. The price difference between adding a 100 amp and 200 amp is minimal. Usually in these cases you will add a new panel in a new location and replace the old service with a sub panel fed from the new service.

#5. Cosmetics, if you have an older panel that isn't water resistant. If your panel is rusted or has holes in it. If your covers are missing or it just looks in bad condition. Consider changing it. This is just a judgement call. I always say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But bad connections are the main reason or frankly only reason for electrical failure and the number one reason for electrical fires. Just use common sense and if in doubt feel free to call for an inspection from a licensed electrician. Keep in mind many electricians are salesman and don't make money unless they make a sale. Try and find some one you can trust.