If you’re like most homeowners, you don’t give your electrical panel a lot of thought. Now and then, you might trip a breaker or find a nonfunctional outlet and head to the panel to investigate. But beyond the quick occasional checkup, that panel probably doesn’t get much attention. If it starts having issues, though, it’ll exhibit a few glaring signs you’re sure to notice.

Here are eight things you need to watch for that indicate your house is due for an electrical panel wiring update.

 

Your Breakers Trip Frequently

Circuit breakers are designed to protect your circuits from electrical overloading that can cause a fire. If those breakers are randomly tripping all the time, you have a problem on your hands. When the system functions as it should, the breakers shouldn't need to trip often as there shouldn’t be an excessive amount of current flowing through the wiring.

Regular tripping means the breaker itself is malfunctioning or there’s a chronically overloaded circuit. To protect your home and family from a serious fire hazard, have an electrician inspect your system as soon as possible.

 

Breakers Trip When You Plug Something In

Do some of your outlets stop working when you plug a new appliance or device in? Or do they stop functioning when you turn something on, like your dishwasher or microwave? If so, your house has an electrical issue that’s not isolated to the breaker panel.

When an up-to-date electrical system is functioning properly, it should be able to handle anything you plug in without a problem. The fact that your outlets are shutting down when you use multiple devices or appliances at once means you’ve got a hazard on your hands. Call an electrician for a system inspection and make the appropriate wiring and panel upgrades to ensure your system operates safely.

 

Your Panel or Outlets Feel Warm to the Touch

Just because a lightbulb might feel warm to the touch while it’s on, that doesn’t mean your other electrical components should. If you ever touch your electrical panel, outlets, or switches and they feel warm or hot, that’s a glaring indication that something is wrong with your electrical system.

You might have frayed or outdated wiring, both of which are serious fire hazards. Or, your electrical panel may not be equipped to handle the current your house is drawing. Regardless of what might be generating the heat, you need to have an electrician inspect your wiring stat. Updating your wiring or panel is a small price to pay to keep your home and family safe.

 

Other Common Signs a Panel Upgrade Is on the Horizon

While the above signs are usually the most obvious indications that you need an electrical panel upgrade, there are a few other things you’ll want to keep an eye out for. These include:

●        The presence of a fuse panel instead of a breaker panel

●        Lights that flicker frequently

●        Discolored Electrical Outlets

●        Burning odors

●        Melted wires or other electrical components

 

Need New Electrical Panel Wiring in Your Minneapolis Home? Contact Harrison Electric

If you’ve been dealing with persistent electrical issues in your Twin Cities home, get in touch with our team at Harrison Electric so we can help you out! We specialize in a wide variety of residential electrical installations and service upgrades, and we inspect your existing panel to determine the best course of action for your needs. Whether you’re looking to replace old fuses with circuit breakers or update your existing breaker box, we’ve got you covered.

To get started, give us a call today at 763-544-3300 to schedule an inspection. You can also request a quote here or connect with us online, and we’ll be in touch!