License# EC13008072
Electricity is a vital part of our everyday lives. Many activities require electricity in some form. It is therefore extremely important that our electrical systems are always functioning. Whenever you have any problems with your electrical system, you’ll need a trusted residential electrical professional with the job. Working on any electricity is extremely dangerous, so you’ll always need to hire professional for anything complicated. At Vincent Anthony Electric, we know how important electricity is to you and your family. We will ensure that you’re receiving the best in quality, professional repairs and service.
Call for small emergency service calls to major emergency response situations - including temporary repairs and permanent wiring.
Should You Repair or Replace Your Older Electrical Panel?
We’ve Featured Communities of Homes in Port Orange, of which some include Spruce Creek Fly-In, Cypress Head, Waters Edge, the Dunlawton Avenue corridor
Port Orange homeowners with older electrical panels can be uncertain if they should repair or replace their panel. In some instances homeowners have been left to deal with the issues of older electrical panels left behind by previous homeowners and subsequently discovered by their homeowners insurance company during the home inspection process. In other instances, occasional stops of their air conditioning, the addition of a hot tub, the installation of an EV Charger or simply the number of large appliances in the home have exceeded the capacity of the existing home electrical panel. While replacing an older electrical panel is desirable, the cost of replacing an older electrical panel is more than many homeowners anticipate. Fortunately, in many instances a service upgrade to an already adequate electrical panel can be cost effective to provide the necessary space for the additional required electrical amperage for the newly added home electrical components. The first step would be for the homeowner to have an inspection by a licensed electrician to provide the necessary electrical service for the homeowner.
Should You Repair or Replace an Older Electrical Panel? Typically, the decision whether to repair or replace an older electrical panel can depend on several factors such as the age of the panel, the brand of the panel, the current capacity of the panel in relation to the homes current electrical load, and the reason for the repair. An experienced electrician will be able to provide you with recommendations based on the assessment of your panels brand, its known defects, the panels current condition, and possible repair options, including replacement of the old panel with a brand new safer panel that meets current building code.
An older main electrical service, only marginally sized for added loads (e.g. large air conditioning system(s), hot tub, electric car charging station(s), etc.) and where the main electrical panel appears to be otherwise structurally sound, would be best served by a service upgrade to a larger main electrical panel to have an efficient operating electrical service to prevent potential electrical fires. Note: This would not be a repair to the panel but rather an upgrade to the main electrical service to most efficiently operate.
Single breakers that have failed can usually be replaced by an electrician with an appropriate replacement breaker for most brands of electrical panels. Some older brands of electrical panels, however, have become obsolete and their breakers can no longer be purchased or may cost too much to use.
Some electrical panels are worse than others when it comes to deciding whether to repair or replace them. Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) electrical panels that are 25 years old or older have breaker failure that will cause the breaker to not trip during an overload situation. Zinsco electrical panels that are 20 years old or older have similar issues. While these panels may not appear to have any problems, it is generally recommended to replace these panels with newer safe electrical panels. Even if no problems have occurred, the risk of a failure at an inopportune time is too great to ignore.
Other Panels with Water Damage, Corrosion, Burning, Physical Damage: Typically, repairs on older electrical panels that have experienced water damage, or show signs of corrosion, burning or physical damage are not cost effective for homeowners and can pose serious safety risks attempting repair.
Additionally, there is the age of the electrical panel to consider. Panels typically have a life span of 25 to 40 years. But just because your electrical panel is older does not mean that it will die. In fact, there are many homes around the world that have 50 year old or older electrical panels still functioning properly. However, as time goes on the components of your electrical panel do begin to deteriorate. The wires, bus bars and electrical connectors in your panel can become brittle with age. In addition, older panels can become more difficult to work on as time goes on. As a homeowner it would be wise to consider the age of your panel and start to plan for its replacement in the future. Even if everything appears to be functioning properly with your current panel, it is better to be safe than sorry.
An assessment of your electrical panel by your licensed electrician is the best way to know which option is best for you to fix any electrical problems. Many homeowners find that replacing an old electrical panel will cost too much, but in reality, it will not cost as much as you think. A modern electrical panel with proper amperage and up to date electrical code will give you and your home the extra protection that you deserve.
Examples of what we offer include, but are not limited to:
Electrical Panel Maintenance & Upgrades