Age Is More Than Just a Number
The general wisdom is to get a house electrical panel upgrade if your current unit is more than 25 years old. We recommend taking this advice seriously—an aging panel can cause multiple issues (and hazards) in your home. Plus, many panels installed before 1990 are proven unsafe. If you have one of these defective electrical panels, talk to Mr. Electric of North Shore and Metairie about a prompt replacement:
Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Electrical Panel
This panel, often used in homes built between 1950 and 1980, has numerous design defects that increase the risk of electric shock and fire. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has classified the FPE as defective.
Zinsco Electrical Panel
Zinsco panels haven't been available since the mid-1970s, but some modern homes may still have the old panels installed. Their defective design allows power to flow—even when the breakers are turned off—allowing the switches to melt.
Pushmatic Electrical Panel
Pushmatic panels do not have a main breaker switch, making it impossible to stop power flow all at once. What's more, these panels have weak breaker switches and may get more difficult to reset over time.
Fuse Boxes
Fuse boxes are the oldest version of electrical panels. Most fuse boxes can only handle up to 60 amps of power, while the average home needs about 200 amps. Clearly, this type of panel is no longer adequate for the modern home. Fuse boxes also pose a massive fire and electrocution risk. Mr. Electric of North Shore and Metairie recommends getting this type of panel replaced as soon as possible.
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