Serving Milford, MA & the 
It’s common for local Milford, MA, homeowners to refer to the electrical panel as a “breaker box.” This item’s responsibilities include keeping your home lit, allowing your HVAC system to run properly, and ensuring that your hot water heater works. Anything in your house that requires electricity uses your electrical panel.
Power, of course, is of great importance when it comes to your family’s safety. That’s why seeking the expertise of highly qualified electricians is so important. If you’re considering upgrading your current electrical panel, a professional will make sure that all the installed components will adequately, dependably, and safely deliver power across your property.
A Future Home Renovation
Electricity is a primary focus during a home remodeling project. A professional electrician can help you determine if your home’s existing electrical panel can support the extra electrical load that it will soon face. This process may involve replacing your current panel or simply adding a subpanel. All work should be done according to local electrical codes.
Preparing for New Appliances
If you’re installing more appliances in your home, then an electrical panel upgrade may also be advantageous. New units can sometimes bring with them different power requirements.
Power Surges or Voltage Issues
When a building’s electrical system becomes overtaxed, instabilities in power distribution will arise. In these situations, there can be fluctuations in the home’s voltage as well as untimely power surges. While these issues are frustrating on their own, they also have some concerning consequences.
The amount of wear on appliances in such conditions cannot be understated. Premature failure is even a possibility. To efficiently stabilize the electrical flow throughout your property, you can have a new electric panel installed. Afterward, the house’s supply of energy will be far more consistent. Additionally, you’ll be able to protect your costly electronic devices from power surges.
A Damaged or Rusted Panel
When you open the door to your home’s electrical panel box, do you notice rust, physical damage, or anything else concerning? If you notice corrosion on your panel, it may be the result of humidity or water intrusion. This type of electrical panel corrosion can truly compromise its structural integrity and finish. You must have rust-compromised metal components replaced if you wish to maintain an effective and safe distribution of electrical power. The source of the water should also be addressed.
The Panel Makes Strange Noises
Are odd noises that sound like humming or buzzing coming out of your residence’s electrical panel? If you hear such unusual sounds, this is a key warning sign that your electrical panel is not working properly. This problem may be due to something as simple as a loose connection or an issue far more severe, like damaged wire connections.
Melting or Burning
Whether it is the wires or the breakers themselves that are displaying this issue, this is an emergency. Potential causes of wires and breakers burning or melting include loose connections and overheating. To steer clear of safety hazards and dangerous electrical fires, the proper course of action in this case is to seek professional intervention immediately.
Your Panel Is Outdated
An electrical panel box typically has a life span of 25 to 40 years. These panels can begin causing problems long before they reach 40 years old. One reason for this has to do with the safety standards that modern-day electrical components must comply with.
If your aging electrical panel is not in compliance with those standards, then it may no longer be covered by your homeowner’s insurance plan. Additionally, old electrical panels also carry with them the risks of electrical shock, overheating, and even fires. Whether functionality or safety is a higher priority for you, you most likely need an electrical panel upgrade.
Circuit Breakers Tripping Frequently
Although some homeowners may view this problem as a simple annoyance, tripping breakers are a far more serious electrical concern. If this happens constantly, it tells you that your property’s electrical panel cannot hold up to the power demand of your home’s occupants.
Breakers that trip frequently wear out much sooner, which means they will become inefficient. When this happens, electrical fires and overloads become very realistic possibilities. While the causes of tripping breakers may range from the breaker itself to faulty wiring, your best bet to remedy this problem is an electrical panel replacement.
Old Electrical Panels and Safety
Electrical panels are integral to any home’s level of safety. The first safety risk you must keep in mind is the potential for fires. From loosened connections to frayed wires, there are several catalysts that can produce open circuits in outdated panels. That is the perfect storm to bring on an electrical fire. While property damage and loss of possessions are stressful, the most dangerous thing about your old electrical panel starting a fire is the danger it poses to your family.
Electrical shocks become increasingly likely as your property’s electrical panel ages. This is due to the wearing down of wires. Worn-down wires carry an excess of electricity. Repairing an old electrical panel is only a temporary solution before new safety risks appear.
Yet another hazard homeowners must consider is circuit overload. Modern homes have a far greater power demand than the buildings the manufacturers designed these older electrical panels for. As such, overloads can occur if your home’s occupants draw too much power at once. This happens when they hook up too many appliances simultaneously, for example. The reason circuit overloads are so hazardous is that they can eventually lead to not only fires but also blackouts.
You could also end up damaging your appliances if you fail to deal with your house’s poorly aging electrical panel. Both sparks and short-circuiting are common when panels are faulty. Surges can cause irreversible damage. Examples of appliances that may be at risk in this situation include your home’s refrigerator, computers, television sets, and an air conditioning system.
Advantages of Electrical Panel Upgrades
For local residents who opt for an electrical panel upgrade, the most obvious benefits are safety and increased power. Minimizing the possibilities of electrical shocks and fires should be on every homeowner’s mind. Similarly, improving your property’s power distribution will ensure that your house can handle its occupants’ electrical needs for years to come. Further benefits of upgrading your house’s electrical panel include reducing how much you’ll need to spend on energy bills, maintenance costs, and insurance premiums. Investing in service and upgrades now will pay off in the future.
Contact Tingley Home Services Today
Tingley Home Services provides our Milford community with top-quality electrical and HVAC services. We’ve been doing so for more than two decades. In addition to electrical panel upgrades and service, we also offer the installation, maintenance, and emergency repairs of all heating and cooling equipment, including mini-splits. We also address a variety of electrical needs, such as new installations, repairs, and even EV charging stations.
Reach out to Tingley Home Services today to schedule an appointment in the Milford area.
