You may take the electricity that flows into your home for granted. You pay your bill every month, replace bulbs that burn out, and try to conserve energy as much as possible. But your faith in the continued flow of electricity won’t amount to anything when the electric panel starts to fail. Here are several signs it’s time to replace your circuit breaker box.
Flickering Lights
If your home’s energy needs are more significant than what your energy panel can handle, you might experience flickering and dimming lights. This is especially evident when running high-voltage appliances such as clothes dryers, dishwashers, and water heaters.
Rusted Components
Rust is never a good thing, especially in your electric panel. This indicates that moisture has gotten into the board, which is a warning sign when dealing with electricity. Addressing the issue is key to avoiding dangerous electrical faults and fires.
Tripped Breakers
It’s common to see an occasionally tripped breaker, but making regular trips to your circuit breaker box is usually a symptom of something more significant. If your breakers frequently need a reset, it could be a sign the electrical circuit is overloaded or that there is a fault somewhere in the wiring.
Burn Marks
The sight or smell of burning in a home is rarely a good thing. Burn marks or the scent of burning when you pass near the electric panel usually indicate that there is too much electricity for the system to handle. This is also one of the primary signs it’s time to replace your circuit breaker box.
Home Addition
You should replace the breaker panel in your home when you complete a room addition. The added room typically means an increased demand on the electric board, and having a new panel in place helps handle the additional load.
Old Age
Consider replacing your circuit breaker box as soon as it begins to show signs of age. The average panel lasts for 30 to 40 years, but this hasn’t stopped many homeowners from shirking the responsibility. If the breaker box in your home has started exhibiting any signs of failure or fault due to age, immediately step away and contact trained professionals to help update your home.
