Why You Should Get a Heavy-Up for Your Home – Part 1

If you have an older home or one with an outdated electrical system, it’s time to get an electrical panel upgrade or a heavy-up. Numerous older homes were constructed with only 50 to 60 amps of electrical service and a few circuits, and they cannot keep up with today’s electrical demands.

An electrical panel handles the distribution of electricity into a home from a utility power line. An upgraded panel will be able to carry more power and prevent an electrical system from overloading. Homes with an undersized panel may be hazardous because if there is an electrical overload, fire may result.

A home’s electrical system is like your body’s circulatory system. The heart is the electrical panel, which sends electricity to the wired areas of a home. It contains rows of switches, and their main purpose is to distribute power to smaller outlet lines.

Symptoms

Similar to conditions that gradually cause heart failure, an electrical panel will eventually develop symptoms that decrease its capabilities over time. A panel may also get too old it is unable to keep up with modern power needs.

A home may need an electrical panel upgrade if it has any of these three symptoms:

• Dimming and flickering of lights when an appliance is turned on.

• Fuses frequently blow when there are several appliances being used.

• Several extension cords are necessary to power appliances.

Evaluation & Installation

A licensed electrician will evaluate the condition of your electrical panel, review any system issues, and discuss your power requirements to determine how extensive an upgrade should be for your home.

There is a range of upgrades available for a heavy-up. It can be as basic as adding a handful of circuit breakers to the existing box. It may also be the case that only installing a subpanel for a simple expansion is needed. Complex upgrades may require the replacement of a fuse box or an older panel with a new modern model that provides greater electrical capacity.

Part 2 will cover the benefits of a heavy-up.

Electrical Peace of Mind

Providing professional electricians since 1988 in Maryland, Cook Electric is the company you can rely on for all your electrical service needs. For knowledgeable, fair, honest, reliable, and conscientious service, call Cook Electric today at (410) 266-9040. We will be very glad to help you.