When you are comparing your home to the human body, you can think of your electrical system as your home’s circulatory system. Similar to how the heart pumps blood throughout the body, your electrical service panel regulates the power that is distributed throughout your home. If the demands on one of these circuits becomes too much for the panel to handle, a breaker is tripped in the electrical panel to stop the electricity from overloading your home’s wiring. This prevents fires, electrical shock and even death from occurring in your home which is why it is so important to have a safe and functioning electrical service panel in your home.
Unfortunately, we have many older homes in Binghamton with panels that were not designed to keep up with our high technology lives and all the devices that need daily charging. We all have energy efficient televisions, appliances computers and more that are designed to not draw too much power and those are not the problem. The problem is all the devices that are plugged in at the same time that can overwhelm your service panel and create very a dangerous situation.
How Your Electrical Panel Works
The main power line from your power company connects directly to the outside of your home, normally this is located at the meter box. That line then runs to the electrical panel inside of your house, often times in your garage or basement and is normally gray. Looking inside your electrical panel you’ll see rows of switches, hopefully well marked, telling you which rooms they feed in your home.
Some of these switches may be single pole, double pole or even triple pole depending on how much power they were designed to handle. Larger switches normally indicate power fed to larger appliances. The switches should have numbers on them that indicate how many amps that branch line can carry before it will throw the breaker. You’ll also see a very large single switch that controls the line coming into your breaker from the power company which once flipped, will turn off power to your entire electrical panel and your home.
How To Tell if Your Service Panel Needs Replacing
While older electrical boxes can eventually malfunction from age, overloaded circuits are the main reason service panels need replacing. In your home you may notice flickering lights, buzzing switches or you may need to power off one appliance before using another. If you find yourself going to your basement to flip breakers often, this is a good indication that it may be time to replace your electric panel. If you have an older Binghamton home with an old service box with old breakers, it is just a matter of time before a breaker fails which could cause electric shock and injury.
Signs it is Time to Replace Your Electrical Box
Just like your car or HVAC system, your electrical panel needs to be periodically checked, especially if it is more than 25 years old. If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, it’s time to call Albrite Electric to replace your electrical service panel.
- Visible corrosion or rust on the breaker switches
- Crackling sounds coming from the breaker box panel
- Breaker box interior feels warm
- You home has 2 pronged outlets instead of 3
- Non GFCI switches in place regulated by NYS law to have them – bathrooms, near sinks, etc.
- Your home has 60-amp service
- Your home can’t operate certain appliances
- Your fuse box lacks a main breaker
- Give Your Home a Much Need Power Boost
By trusting the professional electricians at Albrite Electric, you’re ensuring a safe and healthy home for you and your family. Call us today for a free estimate on installing a new electrical service panel in your home.
