Does your home need an electrical panel upgrade?
Your electrical panel controls every circuit in your home. When it's outdated or undersized, it limits what your home can safely do. Harrison Electric evaluates panels, replaces them, and handles the permit process from start to finish.
Signs your panel needs attention
Many homeowners don't think about their electrical panel until something goes wrong. But panels give warning signs before they fail — if you know what to look for. Call Harrison Electric if you notice any of the following:
- Breakers that trip frequently under normal use
- Breakers that won't reset
- Lights that dim or flicker when appliances run
- A burning smell or unusual odor from the panel area
- A panel that buzzes or makes unusual sounds
- Rust, corrosion, or discoloration on or around the panel
- Your home still has a fuse box rather than a breaker panel
- Your home was built before 1990 and the panel has never been replaced
- You're adding an EV charger, hot tub, generator, or other significant load
Why panels get upgraded
Your home is running out of capacity
Most homes built before 1980 have 100-amp service. Modern households with multiple high-draw appliances, EV chargers, and smart home systems regularly exceed that capacity. A 200-amp upgrade gives your home the headroom to handle today's demands safely.
Your panel is a known safety risk
Federal Pacific Electric, Zinsco, and certain Challenger panels have documented failure rates. If your home has one of these panels, see our Unsafe & Outdated Electrical Panels page for details.
Your home is selling
Older or undersized panels are one of the most commonly flagged issues in residential home inspections. A panel upgrade before listing removes a significant buyer concern and can speed up the transaction.
You're doing a major renovation
Adding a room, finishing a basement, or building an addition all add electrical load. Harrison Electric evaluates your current capacity and upgrades the panel if needed as part of the project.
What a panel upgrade involves
A panel upgrade is a full-day project. Your power will be off for the duration of the work. Harrison Electric handles the permit process, coordinates with the city inspector, and ensures the installation passes inspection before the job is considered complete. Most residential panel upgrades take four to eight hours.