Upgrading Electrical Panel
Upgrading Your Electric Panel
Every home has an electrical panel and is the “central hub” for your electrical wiring. It hosts a number of circuits that supply electricity to parts of the home or high voltage appliances such as a dryer.
The size of the panel was determined by the electrical load in the home at the time of installation (often 100 amps or 200 amps, newer homes often have larger panels). An upgrade may be necessary if you have added a number of electrical devices in your home and sometimes when switching from oil or wood to an electric heating solution. In order to accommodate these systems, an increase in the electrical service (panel upgrade) may be required. A service upgrade must be completed by a licensed electrician and work under a permit from us.
Why update your electrical panel
- If the current panel is old, it may cause an electrical or fire hazard.
- The electrical loads in the home are more than the current service can handle.
- If you are considering changing to an electric based heating system, adding an electric hot water tank, or adding other loads to your existing electrical service, there is a possibility your existing system could become overloaded.
An electrical permit and inspection(s) are required when such alterations are made to your electrical system. Your contractor will be able to provide you this information or may also view these requirements by searching the Electrical Bulletins page on our website.
Where an upgrade in your service capacity is made (i.e. Changing from 100 amps to 200 amps), additional safety related requirements may be necessary. You may also learn more about these requirements by clicking the Electrical Bulletins link above and review NSPI Bulletin B-02-022.