How to tell if you need an Electrical or Meter Upgrade

If any of these apply to you, it may be time to upgrade your electrical service:

Do Your Fuses keep blowing? 

Your homes fuses and cirucuit breakers are designed to keep you safe from fire hazards. When too much electricity flows through a wire the circuit breaker is designed to trip and prevent the wires from overheating and causing a fire. If your fuses are tripping regularly there is a reason. You may be overloading the curcuits. Sometimes simply adding an additional circuit will alleviate the problem.

Do you have hard wired smoke detectors with battery backup?  Did you know that this has been a code requirement for many years. Are you aware that all smoke alarms are required to activate simultaneously? This can be safety concern for your home.

If the power goes out when you use too many appliances you are overloading your circuits. You loose power when the circuit breakers trip.

House built more than 30 years ago?

Houses built more than 30 years ago were not designed to handle the modern appliances that are in use today. Modern conveniences such as microwaves, hairdryers, Room heaters and air conditioners and 12amp vacuum cleaners can all over-tax an underpowerd home electrical system. Houses built before the 1960's were built with only 60 amp electrical service. Later home sometimes came with 100 amp service. Todays modern appliances call for a minimum of 200 amp service. Sometimes even more.

Knob and Tube wiring  Knob and tube wiring is one of the earliest forms of house wiring. It is not uncommon to find houses built before the 1930's to still have some knob and tube wiring. If you still have knob and tube wiring in your home, it most certainly needs to be replaced. Homeowners insurance companies will no longer insure houses with knob and tube wiring.

No grounded 3 prong plugs  Grounded receptacles have been required in homes since the 1970s. This is an important safety issue that should be addressed if your home does not have this modern safety requirement.

No GFI (ground fault interrupt) circuits

GFI outlets have been required in all kitchens and bathrooms since 1972. A GFCI outlet will trip if there is an appliance or wire gets wet, causing a serious electrical fire hazard.  If your home does not have GFI receptacles where required, especially near wet locations, you are endangering your safety and should have this inexpensive but critical upgrade installed in your home.  GFI receptacles are required in the following locations: Kitchens, Bathrooms, Garages, Outdoors, Wet Bars or where no ground is present.

View Photos of a service panel upgrade