Electrical panels are typically found in your home's garage, basement, utility room, or closet. It's usually painted gray, and when you open the door, you'll find rows of switches connected to different circuits on your property. These switches are circuit breakers and distribute main power into smaller branch lines. Your home's electrical panel should have labels that clearly map out the locations of various appliances and outlets with numbers. This lets you know how many amps each line can handle before the breaker switch trips and cuts off power. The main power breaker switch allows you to turn off power to the whole house.

Electrical panel upgrades aren’t always necessary, but they’re recommended in many situations. Some electrical panels were installed in homes decades ago that have been deemed unsafe. If you have Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) electrical panels, Zinsco electrical panels, Pushmatic electrical panels, or fuse boxes, it’s essential to have them replaced immediately with safer, more energy-efficient versions. Additionally, any electrical panel that's more than 25 years old should be inspected by our team of licensed electricians at Mr. Electric of Edmonton.