The electrical panel in your home likely isn’t something you think about very often. At most, you might blow a fuse every few years and have to reset a breaker. Beyond that, the average homeowner doesn’t put much thought into it.
That’s a mistake because your electrical panel is actually one of the most crucial parts of your home. Without it, your home doesn’t have electricity, and if it’s not operating properly or efficiently, you experience other problems and risks.
There are several benefits to maintaining your electrical panel and upgrading it whenever it becomes obsolete.
Today, we’re going to go over the benefits of upgrading your electrical panel.
1: Energy Bill Savings
First, let’s start this off with a benefit everyone will be grateful for. If you upgrade your electrical panel to a more modern option, especially one of the better options on the market, you’ll actually save a lot of money.
Your electrical panel controls much of your home’s energy usage, and modern panels do that far more effectively than those from a decade ago or more. Any time you use less energy to power your home’s necessities, you save money on your monthly electric bills.
You might think that having a new electric panel installed is an expense you can’t afford, but it practically pays for itself within a year or less. So, you save money in the long run.
2: Safety
This is another thing that is relevant to every homeowner, but unfortunately, most think they’re okay until something happens. That is not the case.
Safety is always a driving factor behind technological advancements, and the same is true for electrical panels. Modern electrical panels are designed with better safety features, and as such, they can prevent house fires, power outages that leave those who rely on various devices for survival defenseless, and various other serious problems.
You might not have any problems with your current electrical panel, but there is always a risk, and upgrading your panel now is a great way to minimize that risk as much as possible.
While it might not seem like it, upgrading your electrical panel might be the difference between losing everything in a fire or living a comfortable life, or it might be the difference between an infirmed loved one using their life-saving devices or, unfortunately, going without them.
Do what’s right for your family, and have your panel upgraded as soon as it’s obsolete.
3: Better Output Ratings
As technology advances, new “toys” require more power. Older electrical panels weren’t designed with such loads in mind, and they’re more prone to blowing fuses or experiencing other problems as you start using more energy-intensive equipment at home.
The best example of this is getting an electric car. EVs consume a lot of electricity when you charge them, and if you charge them at home on a panel from the 90s or even the early 00s, it’s likely that your electrical panel isn’t optimal for handling that excessive load. You’ll likely experience blown fuses and other problems; especially if you use fast-charging methods that consume more energy in a short amount of time.
Even if you’re not purchasing an EV or similar items, setting up a garage workshop with power tools, crypto mining, having numerous gaming computers, and other things that the average homeowner does now is a good way to experience electrical problems with outdated panels.
Upgrading your electrical panel will help you deal with your increased energy needs as new technology develops.
4: Fewer Electrical Problems
This goes hand in hand with safety, but your home getting burned down or having to go without power isn’t the only electrical hazard you can deal with. Sometimes, the problems are far less dramatic.
For example, have you ever experienced a sudden electrical surge that destroyed your TV or another device? That can be costly to remedy, and it’s certainly not something you want to deal with. Imagine losing a $3000 television to a sudden power surge. That costs more than your average electrical panel upgrade.
Preventing situations like that is exactly what we’re looking at as one of the key benefits of upgrading your electrical panel.
You also have to worry about power not cutting off when certain problems are detected, too much energy pumping through one outlet, and various other things that can turn into much bigger issues.
Luckily, newer electrical panels are designed to prevent those problems. They’re still possible, but they’re far less likely, and you can easily save yourself a lot of headaches in the long term.
5: Code Compliance
This benefit doesn’t have anything to do with performance, safety, or anything else that you’re likely concerned about. Did you know that you actually have to have an electrical panel that matches modern standards? If you don’t, you can face fines and be forced to upgrade your electrical panel whether you have the money to do it or not.
Most municipalities have electrical panel codes that are updated occasionally. If you’re using an electrical panel from the 70s, it’s likely that you’re not adhering to safety standards, and the first time an authoritative figure notices that you can end up in big trouble.
Even if you’re happy with your electrical panel, it’s key that you stay up to date with your local code requirements and update your electrical panel as needed.
6: Greener Energy Usage
Earlier, we mentioned that you’d save money by not using quite as much energy. Well, it’s not all about money, either.
Most of the population is at least partially worried about the environment and making better choices to protect the world we live in. By upgrading your electrical panel, you can help with that on top of experiencing all the benefits we’ve listed before this.
So, not only will you save money and experience greater personal safety, but you’ll also be helping in a way that benefits the bigger picture. That should be enough benefits of upgrading your electrical panel to make anyone feel good, and you’re not even sacrificing anything. On the contrary, you’re gaining a lot.
Upgrade Your Electrical Panel Today
If you’re looking for more help or guidance to upgrade your electrical panel, or you need other electrical help, call us today!
