When Your Panel Can No Longer Keep Up
Most homes built before the 1990s were wired for a fraction of the electrical load modern households place on them. A panel that was adequate for a home in the 1970s may be struggling to handle today’s combination of HVAC systems, electric vehicles, home offices, and large appliances. Signs that a panel is no longer keeping up include frequent breaker trips, lights that dim when large appliances run, or simply a panel that has run out of available circuits for new additions to the home. Five Star evaluates your panel and gives you an honest assessment of whether an upgrade is warranted and what it would involve.
Panel Upgrades and Replacements
A panel upgrade increases the amperage capacity of your home’s electrical service, typically from 100 amps to 200 amps, to accommodate current and future electrical demands. This is one of the most impactful electrical improvements a homeowner can make, particularly in homes where EV charging, a whole-home generator, or significant appliance additions are being considered. Panel replacements address panels that are physically damaged, have reached the end of their reliable life, or are from manufacturers with known reliability or safety concerns. In either case, Five Star handles the full scope of the project including coordination with the utility for any required service upgrades.
What a Panel Service Visit Includes
Whether you’re scheduling a panel inspection, planning an upgrade, or dealing with an active problem, Five Star’s panel service visits are thorough. Our electricians evaluate the panel’s physical condition, check for proper wiring and connections, assess load distribution across circuits, verify that breakers are correctly sized for their circuits, and identify any code deficiencies. If the inspection leads to a repair or upgrade recommendation, you’ll receive an upfront quote before any work begins.
