Electrical Panels
What Electrical Panels to Look Out For in Your Home
Not all electrical panels are created equal. Some of them are outdated, defective, or downright dangerous. Even more so If you live in an older home, you may have a ticking time bomb. No, we’re not talking about a stash of dynamite or a faulty gas line. We’re talking about your electrical panel. 🤯
Your electrical panel is the heart of your home’s electrical system. It distributes power to all the outlets, lights, appliances, and devices in your house. It also protects your home from overloads, short circuits, and fires by tripping the breakers when something goes wrong.
By the end of this blog post, you’ll have a better understanding of the dangers of electrical panels. You’ll also learn how to make your home safer, more comfortable, and more valuable with a modern electrical panel. Let’s get started! ⚡
The Most common types of Faulty Electrical Panels
Zinsco/ Slyania Panels
Zinsco was a popular brand of electrical panel in the 1970s, but it was later found to have serious design flaws that caused the breakers to melt and fail to trip. This means that the panel could not protect your home from overloads and fires, and it could also electrocute you if you tried to turn off a breaker. Zinsco panels are easy to recognize by their distinctive blue and silver breakers and their name on the front. If you see one in your home, you should replace it as soon as possible.
Federal Pacific.
Federal Pacific was another popular brand of electrical panel in the mid-20th century, but it was also involved in a class-action lawsuit for selling defective and unsafe products. Federal Pacific panels have a high failure rate and are prone to overheating, arcing, and burning. They also have a faulty design that allows the breakers to appear to be off when they are actually still on, which can cause shocks and fires. Federal Pacific panels are usually marked with the letters FPE or Stab-Lok on the front. If you have one in your home, you should also replace it as soon as possible.
Challenger
Challenger was another brand of electrical panel that was widely used in the 1980s, but it was also recalled for having faulty and dangerous breakers. Challenger panels have a similar problem as Federal Pacific panels, where the breakers can fail to trip and cause overheating and fires. Challenger panels are usually labeled with the name Challenger or Eaton/Cutler Hammer on the front. If you have one in your home, you should also replace it as soon as possible56.
Other Items to look out for
Additional safety/insurance issues
Aluminum Wire
Uninsurable and Dangerous
Knob and Tube Wiring
Pre-1950 wiring can leads to Shock/Fire
Cloth Insulated wires
Prone to Breaking and Arcing
How can you tell if you have a dangerous electrical panel in your home?
The easiest way to tell if you have a dangerous electrical panel in your home is to look at the label on the front of the panel and see if it matches any of the brands or types we mentioned above. If it does, you should contact an electrician to inspect and replace it as soon as possible.
However, sometimes the label may be missing, faded, or covered by paint. In that case, you may need to look for other signs that indicate a problem with your electrical panel. Here are some of the most common ones:
Frequent tripping of breakers or fuses
Flickering or dimming of lights
Burning smell or smoke coming from the panel
Scorch marks or cracks on the panel or breakers
Loose or exposed wires
Buzzing or humming sounds from the panel
Warm or hot breakers or panel
Sparks or flashes from the panel
Shocks or tingles when touching appliances or switches
Still unsure? We are available to chat, text or call us at 831-222-0465 (even if you are outside our work area we are still happy to answer questions)
If you are interested in replacing a panel learn how to make your home safer, more comfortable, and more valuable with a modern electrical panel. Let’s get started! ⚡
Get you free panel estimate!
Call BJG Construction (831)-222-0465