Your electrical panel is the switchboard for the whole house. Most of the time it works quietly in the garage or a closet. These are the signs it is time to have a licensed electrician look at it.
1. Breakers trip again and again
A breaker that trips is doing its job: it shuts off a circuit before the wiring overheats. If the same breaker trips often, the circuit is overloaded or something on it is faulty. Resetting it over and over does not fix the cause.
2. The panel feels warm, buzzes or smells hot
A panel should never be hot to the touch, crackle, or smell like burning plastic. Any of these can point to a loose connection or a failing breaker. Stop using that circuit and call an electrician.
3. The label says Zinsco or Federal Pacific
Many homes built from the 1950s to the 1980s have panels from these brands, and both have a long record of breakers that may not trip when they should. Many electricians and some insurers recommend replacing them.
4. You are adding something big
An EV charger, a heat pump, a hot tub or a kitchen remodel can add more load than an older 60 or 100 amp service was built for. A load calculation shows whether your panel can take it or needs an upgrade.
5. You are out of space, or living on extension cords
If there is no room for new breakers, or the house runs on power strips and extension cords, the panel has fallen behind how you use your home.
What an upgrade involves
A panel upgrade is permitted and inspected, and a larger service is coordinated with the utility. You get a free written estimate before any work starts.
Not sure about your panel? Text us a photo or request a free estimate and we will tell you straight.