How do you know if an electrical panel needs to be upgraded?

Frequent breaker trips, a panel that feels warm to the touch, or visible rust around the panel box are the clearest signs. Homes in Covington built before the 1990s often have 100-amp service, which struggles once you add central air, an EV charger, or a couple of large kitchen appliances on the same circuit. Flickering lights when the AC kicks on is another signal worth an inspection right away. If your panel still uses Federal Pacific or Zinsco breakers, an upgrade is worth scheduling even without obvious symptoms, since those brands have a documented history of failing to trip during an overload.

Do you need a permit for a panel replacement in Covington?

Yes. St. Tammany Parish requires a permit and inspection for any electrical panel replacement, and Mr. Electric pulls that permit as part of the job so you don't have to track down the paperwork yourself. The inspector checks the grounding, the panel's clearance from water sources, and the breaker sizing before the job is considered complete. Skipping the permit can complicate a home sale later, since a buyer's inspector will flag unpermitted panel work during the appraisal.

How long does an electrical panel upgrade take?

Most residential panel upgrades in Covington take a single workday, start to finish. The exact time depends on whether the meter base also needs replacing and how many circuits have to be relabeled and reconnected. Your power stays off only during the short window needed to disconnect the old panel and connect the new one, typically an hour or two, not the whole day. We schedule the utility disconnect with Entergy in advance to keep that window as short as possible.

Will a panel upgrade help during hurricane season?

A newer panel alone won't keep the lights on during a storm, but it makes other backup options work better. Whole-home surge protection, which mounts directly inside the panel, guards your HVAC and appliances against the voltage spikes that come with Louisiana's storm-season grid recovery. If you're planning a generator interlock kit for a portable generator, the panel needs to support that hardware, and we build it into the upgrade instead of adding a second project later.

What other services does Mr. Electric offer in Covington?

Beyond panel upgrades, we handle whole-home surge protection, circuit breaker replacement , home generator installations and interlock kits, EV charger installation , and new dedicated circuits for equipment like hot tubs or workshop tools. Many Covington customers combine a panel upgrade with one of these, since a new panel makes it easier to add capacity for a generator or an EV charger down the road. We also handle lighting upgrades and troubleshoot breaker issues on existing panels when a full replacement isn't needed yet. Our commercial panel upgrades team covers lighting and surge protection for local businesses.

Do older Covington homes ever need more than a 200 amp panel?

Some do, especially larger homes near the lake that run pool equipment, a workshop, and an EV charger off the same service. A 200-amp panel covers most single-family homes comfortably, but we run the load calculation before recommending anything larger. Older homes downtown with additions built over the decades sometimes need a subpanel instead of a full service upgrade, which solves the same capacity problem without touching the main service.

How do I schedule an electrical panel upgrade in Covington?

Request your appointment online, and we'll set a time to inspect your current panel and walk the property with you before any work starts. We serve Covington and the surrounding Mandeville area with the same licensed crews, so scheduling around your workday or a weekend is usually straightforward. Schedule a panel upgrade appointment today , and our office will follow up to confirm the visit and answer any questions about the load calculation in advance.

Electrical Panel Upgrade Covington, LA

Covington's older neighborhoods, from Lewisburg to the blocks around downtown, still run on 100-amp panels installed long before central air, EV chargers, and modern kitchens became standard. A Covington electrician from Mr. Electric of North Shore replaces those undersized or corroded panels with grounded, code-compliant systems sized for how your household actually uses power. We handle electrical panel upgrades and replacements for homeowners across St. Tammany Parish, from the initial load calculation through the final inspection.

Mr. Electric electrician showing circuit breaker board to two people.

Residential
Commercial

Book Online

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Street Address**

ZIP/Postal Code*

Yes! You can text me service reminders and other messages.

By checking this box, I agree to opt in to receive automated informational and promotional SMS and/or MMS messages from Mr. Electric, a Neighborly company, and its franchisees to the provided mobile number(s). Messages & data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. View Terms and Privacy Policy. Reply STOP to opt out of future messages. Reply HELP for help.

By entering your email address, you agree to receive emails about services, updates or promotions, and you agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

The Panel Upgrade Process for Covington Homes

Every job starts with a load calculation that accounts for your HVAC system, range, water heater, and anything you're planning to add, like a hot tub circuit or an EV charger. Our crews, the same electricians who serve as your Madisonville electrician throughout the North Shore, pull the required permit before touching the meter base and coordinate the outage window so your household isn't without power longer than it has to be. Most panel swaps finish in a single workday, and we test every breaker before we leave.

An electrical panel replacement in Covington, LA often turns out to be more than a capacity problem. Corroded lugs, double-tapped breakers, and older Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels carry real fire risk, and Louisiana's humidity speeds up that corrosion faster than it would in a drier climate. The National Electrical Code requires arc fault protection on most branch circuits that get replaced today, so an upgrade usually includes new AFCI breakers alongside the panel itself. If you're also planning a whole-home surge protector or a generator interlock kit, we size the new panel with that future load in mind.

Why Covington Homeowners Choose Our Crews

Our electricians average 10 years of experience working on St. Tammany Parish's electrical systems, from the older homes near downtown Covington to newer construction off Highway 25. We're licensed, insured, and familiar with the grounding and moisture protection older homes near Lake Pontchartrain typically need, in addition to standard code requirements. A panel that trips constantly, buzzes, or can't support the addition you're planning usually points to a specific, fixable cause, and we walk you through exactly what we find before we start any work.

We also serve homeowners throughout Mandeville,Hammond, Folsom, and Abita Springs with that same attention to detail, so you get a crew that understands the parish's mix of century-old wiring and newer subdivisions. We test every connection before we leave and explain what changed inside your panel in plain terms. Ready to get your panel evaluated? Schedule an appointment with our Covington team.

530 Asbury Dr Suite F5 Mandeville, LA 70471, United States

Services We Provide

Residential
Commercial

Frequently Asked Questions About Electrical Panel Upgrades in Covington, LA

Frequent breaker trips, a panel that feels warm to the touch, or visible rust around the panel box are the clearest signs. Homes in Covington built before the 1990s often have 100-amp service, which struggles once you add central air, an EV charger, or a couple of large kitchen appliances on the same circuit. Flickering lights when the AC kicks on is another signal worth an inspection right away. If your panel still uses Federal Pacific or Zinsco breakers, an upgrade is worth scheduling even without obvious symptoms, since those brands have a documented history of failing to trip during an overload.
Yes. St. Tammany Parish requires a permit and inspection for any electrical panel replacement, and Mr. Electric pulls that permit as part of the job so you don't have to track down the paperwork yourself. The inspector checks the grounding, the panel's clearance from water sources, and the breaker sizing before the job is considered complete. Skipping the permit can complicate a home sale later, since a buyer's inspector will flag unpermitted panel work during the appraisal.
Most residential panel upgrades in Covington take a single workday, start to finish. The exact time depends on whether the meter base also needs replacing and how many circuits have to be relabeled and reconnected. Your power stays off only during the short window needed to disconnect the old panel and connect the new one, typically an hour or two, not the whole day. We schedule the utility disconnect with Entergy in advance to keep that window as short as possible.
A newer panel alone won't keep the lights on during a storm, but it makes other backup options work better. Whole-home surge protection, which mounts directly inside the panel, guards your HVAC and appliances against the voltage spikes that come with Louisiana's storm-season grid recovery. If you're planning a generator interlock kit for a portable generator, the panel needs to support that hardware, and we build it into the upgrade instead of adding a second project later.
Beyond panel upgrades, we handle whole-home surge protection, circuit breaker replacement, home generator installations and interlock kits, EV charger installation, and new dedicated circuits for equipment like hot tubs or workshop tools. Many Covington customers combine a panel upgrade with one of these, since a new panel makes it easier to add capacity for a generator or an EV charger down the road. We also handle lighting upgrades and troubleshoot breaker issues on existing panels when a full replacement isn't needed yet. Our commercial panel upgrades team covers lighting and surge protection for local businesses.
Some do, especially larger homes near the lake that run pool equipment, a workshop, and an EV charger off the same service. A 200-amp panel covers most single-family homes comfortably, but we run the load calculation before recommending anything larger. Older homes downtown with additions built over the decades sometimes need a subpanel instead of a full service upgrade, which solves the same capacity problem without touching the main service.
Request your appointment online, and we'll set a time to inspect your current panel and walk the property with you before any work starts. We serve Covington and the surrounding Mandeville area with the same licensed crews, so scheduling around your workday or a weekend is usually straightforward. Schedule a panel upgrade appointment today, and our office will follow up to confirm the visit and answer any questions about the load calculation in advance.

Residential & Commercial Services

Residential
Commercial