Today’s electrical needs are larger than ever, with a typical service panel being heavily loaded by appliances like a powerful heater blower, air conditioning systems, heat pumps, microwaves, dryers, water heater, desktops, and more. If your electrical panel is old, out-of-date, or undersized, all that current demand can have fatal results, ranging from early appliance malfunction to house fires.

Here are a few indicators that you might need to watch out for in order to identify when it’s time to replace your electrical panel.

A Over 25 Year Old Electrical Panel

An electrical panel can have a 25–40 year lifespan on average. There is a large range of variability because of a number of factors, including:

• Voltage Spikes
• Deterioration
• Manufacturing Defect

Regardless of the cause, an electrical panel that is more than 25 years old has the potential to be hazardous. If you choose not to just replace it since the panel might last another 20 years, have one of our experts do an electrical examination to ensure that everything is in working order.

It Has a Burning or Burnt Smell

If there is a charred or burning smell within or around your electrical panel, you should always be seriously concerned. Circuit breaker panels that malfunction can result in major house fires that threaten both your property and that of your neighbours.

The burning smell is typically either plastic or wood as a result of the melting of plastic jackets on the electrical cable or the burning of the padding or wood in your walls. If you experience any of these odours, replace your electrical panel right away.

Breakers Trips Become Frequent

Circuit breakers are made to trip and cut off the electrical flow in order to protect you from circuits that are using excessive amounts of power. This design shields you from the negative effects of too much electricity flowing through your electrical grid, but it could also indicate that your electrical panel needs to be upgraded.

You may experience often tripped breakers if an electrical panel is unable to support appropriate electrical flow. With us, you can get your inadequate panel updated and stop having to repeatedly flick a breaker back on.

Lacking the Necessary Outlets

If you frequently discover that you don’t have enough outlets, this is a comparable problem to an electrical panel that allows too little electrical flow. Although a power strip can appear like the solution to this problem, it is not advisable to overload just one outlet. Our experts can install additional outlets by adding specialised circuits to your electrical panel, if there is space available. To have new separate circuits to power your outlets, you need to get your current electrical panel updated.

Added a New Appliance Recently

You might require a new electrical panel if you fit a new appliance, such as a dishwasher, or if it uses more electricity than your previous appliance. Similar to the outlets, many electrical panels need to be updated before your new device can be used properly.

Electrical Panel Feels Hot or Warm to the Touch

Your electrical system’s ability to get heated is one of the main things that an electrical panel controls. A circuit breaker should trip upon overheating to save your property from a possible electrical fire.

However, if you’ve discovered that your electrical panel feels warm or even hot to the touch, it may be a sign of a significant issue that may require you to replace your panel entirely. You can request one of our experts to visit the site and conduct on-site troubleshooting to help ensure that the problem with the electrical panel is resolved.

Panel Makes Weird Noises

When a circuit breaker is flung, electrical panels ought to operate without making a sound. The electrical panel, however, occasionally causes people to hear buzzing or hissing sounds.

Those noises are unusual, and you shouldn’t dismiss them because they typically signify a damaged wire or faulty electrical connection. The incorrect wiring can harm your electrical panels if it isn’t fixed right away, necessitating the replacement of both the panel and some of the wire.

How Can We Help You?

Bring in the top electricians to aid you when it comes to maintaining your electrical system. In order to help you with all of your forthcoming electrical projects, Switchgear is your go-to local team of professionals. Reach out to us to learn more about the efficient and safe improvements our qualified professionals can make to your property.