What is the role of your electrical panel?It is the heart of your electrical system. It provides power distribution in a safe an controlled manner by the use of breakers which limit the amount of electricity that can flow on a given circuit and by tripping when something goes wrong. The technologies which are common to almost all breakers are overload and overcurrent protection. These will trip the breaker if there is too much demand on a circuit or if a short circuit is present, but will not trip under all fault conditions. This is why the Canadian Electrical Code has been changed to require some new breaker technologies. One of these technologies is called Arc Fault Circuit Interruption (AFCI). This can sense if an electrical connection is loose or has a small short circuit and will respond by opening the circuit very quickly and is mainly used to prevent an electrical fires. Another technology is Ground Fault Circuit Interruption (GFCI). This can sense if some electricity has "escaped" though a path that it should not take and is mainly used to provide protection against shocks.
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Why might I need an upgrade?The most common reason for a panel replacement is that it can't support the electrical loads you need it to. If you plan to install air conditioning, a hot tub, an EV charger or other high demand equipment, you may need to upgrade the size of your service and panel to accommodate the higher loads.
Another reason is that the panel is too old. As with all electrical equipment, panels have a limited service life. Electrical contacts can corrode with moisture and breakers can be weakened from repeated tripping. The latest safety features may not be present in older panels as they did not yet exist or were not yet required by code. Older panels may not have compatible breakers available with AFCI or GFCI protection or breakers may be difficult to find or prohibitively expensive. If you want new circuits added to your panel, although other options may exist, sometimes the most cost effective option is to install a new panel to allow the use of less costly and better quality modern breakers. |
What we can do about it.
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We have the knowledge and expertise to provide a quality panel replacement. We are knowledgeable in the codes that are applicable to panel replacements and we have access to quality materials. We are familiar with common failure modes of existing panels and can give insight to the risks a particular brand of panel may pose. If you have concerns about the condition of your panel, give us a call and we would be happy to evaluate it's condition and give a free estimate for replacement if necessary. Give us a call at 587 988 2707!
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