Johnny Collins 
virtualpro
Have you heard about electrical panel repair? Have you ever thought about why the lights in your home quickly turned off and the digital clocks disappeared on the appliance? Is it a power failure? No, it is not. This is a tripped breaker. Breakers are the electrical safety switches that prevent the electrical circuit from getting damaged by a short circuit or overcurrent. The breakers automatically switch off the lights when the electric circuit becomes overloaded.
Electrical System
Almost there are breakers in all houses to prevent short circuit and fire outbreaks. Breakers live together in the electrical panel, which is the brain of the electrical system in your home.
But don’t take it as a DIY project as electricity is quite risky. Even the idea of flipping the switch on your electrical panels makes people nervous. So, it is better to hire a licensed electrician to upgrade or repair your circuit breaker panel at highly affordable rates.
In case of any electrical troubleshooting, you can help professionals rather than do it yourself. After all, some things are better left to the professionals. Some electricians are highly skilled and experienced in electrical panel repair and maintenance.
Circuits to Faulty Breakers
They provide services ranging from burned electrical wires to interruptions in circuits to faulty breakers. In this post, we will discuss an electrical panel and how does it work?
An electrical panel, also known as a breaker panel, is a metal box with a glass door built into a wall of your home. You will find all the breaker switches in your home when you look inside.
Circuit Breaker
An electrical panel connects the main power supply line with your home electricity and distributes the electrical current to various circuits within the house. A circuit breaker and fuse ensure no overcurrent during the electricity distribution to various circuits.
When you turn the breaker switches on and off, the circuit breaker will automatically shut off when the electric circuit overloads, and that’s what it is for.
Benefits Of Electrical Panel Over Fuse Box:
Within the circuit breaker panel, you will find the main breaker that deals with the whole house’s electricity. You will also see individual breakers responsible for providing power to a particular area of your home. You can label each breaker with the area to which it provides power.
In some older homes, there are no breakers, but they have fuses. A fuse box or electrical panel is a central hub for the home’s electrical system where incoming voltage is distributed into various circuits. The circuit breaker panel is designed to switch off electricity in one of the circuits in case of overload in the electric circuit. When the circuit becomes overloaded, it can lead to a short circuit. And what’s where the electrical panel comes into play. If you have a home with a fuse box, you may face complications in getting insurance or have to pay a higher cost.
Circuit Breaker Panel
The electricity to your home comes from the electrical meter situated outside, which directs electricity to your circuit breaker panel. You can switch off the main feed of your electricity using the main circuit breaker in your panel. Your main breakers also show the amperage of your electric current.
If you are looking for home insurance, they will look for your house’s electric current amperage. If your home’s amperage is less than 100, you need to update your electrical system. Otherwise, it won’t be easy to find insurance for your home, or you will have to pay a higher rate.
How To Locate Your Electrical Panel?
Electrical panels are metal boxes usually grey in color and embedded on the wall. These panels have doors and behind these doors are an assortment of switches and wires- those switches are the breakers.
Normally, these electrical panels are located in an out of the way corner of your home. You can install the electrical panel in your storage rooms, garages, laundry rooms, and basements are the most common places to install a circuit breaker panel.
You will see an electrical panel installed outside the house in older homes. If you live in an apartment, you will probably find the electrical panel embedded on a wall next to the entrance. Most homes have only one electrical panel, while some have subpanels especially houses with multiple units.
How Does an Electrical Panel Work?
Circuit breakers can shut off when the electric circuit becomes overloaded. The breakers are safety devices designed to prevent both the home and the devices from electrical damage. If the circuit breaker did not trip and didn’t shut off, the electric circuit can overload and electrocute someone.
Each circuit breaker control and individual circuit correspond with an area or a specific room in the house. Energy hungry devices such as air conditioners and electric ranges might have their breaker.
A circuit breaker is designed to carry a particular electrical load; it automatically shuts off if the electrical load exceeds the breaker voltage. This usually happens when you plug too many devices into a single circuit.
Circuit Breakers
Various circuit breakers depend on how much electrical voltage they can handle. Like the home’s electrical system, individual breakers are separated by how much amperage they can deal with. Circuit breakers range from 15 to 200 amps, while some are either 15,20, or 30 amperages, though.
Circuit breakers have voltage ratings; a single breaker normally provides 120 volts, the voltage required for lights and television, etc. On the other hand, a double circuit breaker provides 240 volts needed to supply power to big and power-hungry appliances such as an electric dryer or stove.
Circuit Breaker Trips
When the circuit breaker trips, you need to flip the switch in the breaker to reset it. In old homes, where fuse boxes are installed rather than breakers, you need to change the whole fuse if the fuse blows up.
How Much Does It Cost to Change or Upgrade an Electrical Panel?
The cost of upgrading an electrical panel in a house varies depending on the amount of work and the electrician’s expertise. For the 100-amperage service, you can expect the cost anywhere between $2000 to $2500. If you are looking to install new electrical wires in a home with 200+ amperages, the price will be higher.
The only way to ensure the cost is to ask for multiple quotes from different electricians. (at least three electricians). In two cases, you are needed to upgrade your circuit breaker panel. One is when it can’t provide enough electrical supply to your home, and the second is when you have a fuse box instead of breakers.
Home’s Electrical System
If you have a fuse box at home or your home’s electrical system is below 100 amperages, then you should upgrade it. Even if your home’s electrical system is 100 amperages, you still need to upgrade it to 200 to 400 amperages.
Because many homes are working at a capacity on 100 amperage service. If you are not sure about your electrical panel, whether it is enough for your home’s electrical service. You can hire a professional electrician to get an estimate of your electrical usage.
Final Thoughts
If you plan to repair or upgrade your electrical panels, you can hire a licensed electrician. Electrical panels play a significant role in preventing home fires. Therefore, electrical panels should be maintained or upgraded at regular intervals.
Author Bio:
Hi there, this is Hannah James. I am a 30 years old professional content writer and editor. I have years of expertise and skills in writing a variety of content. Currently, I am writing on the electrical panel repair to give an insight into how it works and when you need to upgrade it.
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