Power is essential for your home. But when your electrical panel starts slacking on the job, most homeowners try to accommodate this failing fixture rather than fix it. They do that by avoiding tricky outlets and stocking up on power strips to get the most use out of the ones that work.
It’s undeniable—there has to be a better way. And there is. SALT Home Services can give you an electrical panel upgrade that provides your home with the power it needs. But how can you tell that you’re a good candidate for a panel renovation, and what kind of electrical panel upgrades can you incorporate into your home today?
Signs You Need An Electrical Panel Upgrade
There are many older homes in Texas, and though they may look beautiful, they’re ill-equipped to handle the weight of modern power requirements. If your home is from the 60s, there’s a chance it may still be using a fuse box. Fuse boxes by themselves aren’t dangerous, but established ones from that long ago are usually ill-maintained enough to hazard.
For fuse boxes and circuit breakers, you could inspect the electrical panel for crackling sounds, a hot surface, or corrosion on the circuit breakers. If you believe your panel needs replacing in the name of safety.
You can also determine the state of your electrical panel by paying attention to the performance of your electronics, devices, and fixtures. For example, if you notice flickering or dimming lights, appliances struggling to run at total capacity, or a high utility bill, something’s not right.
Generally, a rule of thumb is that if you’re not getting the power you need from your current electrical panel, there is a way to bring in more amps.
Determining Your Electrical Panel Needs
When considering electrical panel upgrades, you should think about what you want out of your home’s electrical system. And a lot of that depends on the amount of electricity you use every month. It may be hard to look at all the electronics and appliances in your home and figure out how much power they use, but the math is simple if you know what to look for.
You can calculate your needs, starting by multiplying the square footage of your living areas by three. Then you add 1,500 watts for each small kitchen and laundry room circuit. After that, you add the wattage for other appliances that operate on their own circuit. Think of the water heater or electric dryer as examples.
With that number, you want to calculate the first 10,000 watts at a hundred percent while shifting the rest by forty percent. With that subtotal, you add the heating unit’s wattage or the central AC (whichever is greater) to get the baseline of wattage you need for your home. To convert that to amps, divide the total by 230.
The number you get from this is your ticket to sufficient power for your home.
Types of Electrical Panel Upgrades
The amp number you’ve calculated in the previous section will play a big part in determining what your electrical panel upgrade looks like. It might be something as small as replacing individual circuits if a professional has determined that your electrical issues don’t go any deeper than that.
Like the ones from SALT Home Services, a professional will know what to look for when it comes to a panel replacement. They’ll consider things like water damage or the general age of the picture, and through their insight, they will determine whether or not you would benefit from a panel replacement or a full-service upgrade.
And if you’ve determined that you need as much as double the amps that you currently have, there’s something called a “heavy-up” that might be perfect for you. Heavy-ups are a viable answer for flickering lights or frequently tripped breakers. They can also be instrumental in raising your home’s property value if you plan to put it on the market.
Finding the Best “Electrician Near Me” with SALT Light & Electric
An electrical panel upgrade is a great way to take full advantage of everything your home has to offer. And at SALT Home Services, we want to help you make that happen.
For us, electrical work has been a family affair for generations. Since 1984 we have served homes in Austin and beyond in all their electrical needs. We believe every home in our special nook of Texas deserves to feel empowered. That could mean changing a circuit or replacing the whole system, but whatever we have to do, we want to do it.
So don’t settle for less when it comes to your electricity. Call SALT Home Services today for the best work in Austin, TX!
