Seattle Residential Electrical Panel Upgrades and Services
Your home’s electrical panel is the backbone of your electrical system, distributing power safely and efficiently to every room. If your panel is outdated, overloaded, or showing signs of wear, our electrical panel upgrades ensure your home receives the power it needs while meeting the latest safety codes.
Why Upgrade Your Electrical Panel?
Your home’s electrical panel controls the flow of electricity to every circuit. Over time, panels become outdated, overloaded, or even hazardous. If your panel isn’t designed to handle modern electrical demands, it can lead to frequent breaker trips, power surges, or fire risks. Upgrading your panel ensures your home has a safe, efficient, and code-compliant electrical system. Common reasons for an electrical panel upgrade include
Outdated or Unsafe Panels: Older electrical panels, such as Federal Pacific (FPE), Zinsco, and Pushmatic, are known to have safety defects and may no longer meet Seattle’s electrical code requirements.
Increased Energy Demands: Adding new appliances, EV chargers, HVAC systems, or home offices may require more power than your panel can safely handle.
Frequent Breaker Trips & Flickering Lights: If your breakers constantly trip or your lights flicker when using appliances, your panel may be overloaded.
Fire Hazards & Electrical Safety Concerns: A faulty or overloaded panel can lead to overheating, sparks, and electrical fires.
Code Compliance & Home Insurance Requirements: Many insurance companies require up-to-date electrical panels to maintain coverage, and a panel upgrade may be necessary when selling a home.
Our Seattle Electrical Panel Services
We provide complete electrical panel upgrade services to ensure your home’s electrical system is safe, efficient, and built for modern energy demands, including
Panel Upgrades & Replacements
We replace outdated panels with the latest 100A, 200A, and 400A panels to meet the electrical demands of modern homes. An existing panel upgrade can also be essential if you add high-powered appliances like EV chargers, hot tubs, or new HVAC systems.
Circuit Breaker Replacements & Panel Rewiring
We replace aging breakers with modern AFCI and GFCI breakers and rewire outdated and poorly distributed wiring to protect your home against fire hazards and electrical malfunctions and to ensure circuits are balanced and capable of handling your home’s electrical load.
Subpanel Installation
When your main panel lacks the capacity for new circuits, a subpanel provides an effective solution. We install subpanels for home additions, detached garages, workshops, and other expansions, giving you additional power without requiring a full panel replacement.
Smart Electrical Panels
If you want to optimize your electrical system for remote monitoring and energy savings, we install and configure smart electrical panels that offer home automation integration, real-time energy monitoring, and load balancing, helping homeowners improve efficiency and reduce energy waste.
Surge Protection & Load Balancing
We install whole-home surge protection systems to prevent costly repairs and replacements due to power surges. We also provide load-balancing solutions to distribute electrical demand evenly, reducing strain on your system and minimizing the risk of overloaded circuits.
Code Compliance & Safety Inspections
We conduct thorough safety inspections to identify potential hazards, overloaded circuits, or outdated wiring, ensuring your panel fully complies with Seattle’s electrical codes and insurance requirements and operating at peak performance.
Temporary Power Panel Installation
We install temporary panels that meet Seattle’s electrical code requirements, ensuring your construction site has the power needed for tools, lighting, and other electrical equipment. Once the project is complete, we will safely remove the temporary panel and transition your home to its permanent electrical system.
Split Bus Panel Conversions
Modern electrical codes require a single main breaker for emergency shutoff and overload protection. Mirsky Electric converts split bus panels into modern, safer breaker panels that provide better circuit organization, improved safety, and easier maintenance.
Grounding & Bonding Improvements
Many older homes have insufficient or missing grounding and bonding, which can cause power fluctuations, circuit breaker box malfunctions, and increased fire risk. Mirsky Electric ensures your home’s electrical panel is properly grounded and bonded, keeping your system stable, safe, and fully compliant with modern electrical codes.
Electrical Panel Organization
Diagnosing electrical issues or performing future upgrades can be more difficult if your panel lacks clear labels. Our team will accurately label and organize your panel, ensuring that each circuit is clearly marked, making it easier for you—or any future electrician—to identify and manage electrical loads.
Signs You Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade
When your home’s electric panel becomes outdated, overloaded, or damaged, it can cause electrical issues that impact safety and performance. If you notice any of the following warning signs, it may be time to upgrade your panel:
Frequent breaker trips and power surges: If your breakers trip often or reset themselves unexpectedly, your panel may be struggling to handle the electrical load.
Flickering or dimming lights: Lights that dim when using appliances like microwaves, space heaters, or hairdryers suggest an overloaded panel.
Burning smells or excessive heat: A burning odor or heat coming from the panel indicates faulty wiring or damaged breakers, which can pose a fire risk.
Buzzing or sparking from outlets or the panel: Unusual sounds or visible sparks may signal loose connections or failing components.
Insufficient power for new appliances: If you add an EV charger, hot tub, HVAC system, or home office equipment, your panel may need more capacity.
Reliance on multiple power strips and extension cords: Using multiple outlets to compensate for a lack of circuits suggests your panel can’t handle your home’s power needs.
Home renovations requiring additional circuits: If you’re remodeling, expanding, or adding new high-powered appliances, an upgraded panel ensures safe and reliable power distribution.
The panel is over 25 years old: Older panels weren’t built for modern energy demands and may no longer meet safety standards.
Your Home still has a fuse box: Fuse-based systems are outdated and unsafe compared to modern circuit breaker panels.
Breakers won’t reset properly: If a breaker won’t stay on after resetting, it could indicate an overloaded or failing panel.
Rust or corrosion on the panel: Visible signs of rust or corrosion suggest moisture damage, which can lead to serious electrical hazards.
You’re experiencing unexplained high energy bills: An inefficient or outdated panel can waste energy, leading to higher electricity costs.
Frequent need for electrical repairs: If you’re constantly calling an electrician for breaker issues, wiring problems, or power disruptions, your panel may be the root cause.
What You Can Expect During the Electrical Panel Upgrade Process
We make upgrading your electrical panel a seamless and hassle-free process. Our expert electricians handle everything from initial consultation to final inspection, ensuring your home’s electrical system is safe, efficient, and up to code. Here’s what you can expect when you work with us:
1. Inspection & Consultation
We start by thoroughly assessing your existing electrical panel and checking for signs of overload, outdated components, and potential safety hazards. We’ll also evaluate your home’s power needs—whether you’re adding an EV charger, hot tub, or additional circuits for a remodel—to determine the right panel size and type.
2. Permit & Planning
Seattle requires electrical permits for panel upgrades, and we take care of the entire permit and inspection process for you. We also design a customized upgrade plan, ensuring your new panel meets local electrical codes, safety regulations, and your home’s future power demands.
3. Safe Panel Removal
Before installation, we will safely disconnect the power and remove the old panel. If the existing wiring needs upgrades, we’ll make the necessary improvements to ensure safe and efficient operation.
4. Installation & Upgrades
Our electricians will install the new electrical panel, carefully connecting circuits, breakers, and grounding systems. Whether you’re upgrading to a new panel, installing a subpanel, or adding smart panel technology, we ensure every connection is properly secured and tested for reliability.
5. Testing & Final Inspection
Once the installation is complete, we conduct a comprehensive system check, testing every breaker and verifying that all circuits function safely and efficiently. We also coordinate with Seattle’s electrical inspectors to ensure compliance with local regulations. After passing inspection, we restore power and walk you through your new panel setup.
Upgrade Your Electrical Panel with Mirsky Electric
Don’t wait until electrical issues become a safety hazard—upgrade your electrical panel today with Mirsky Electric. Whether you’re dealing with an outdated panel, frequent breaker trips, or adding high-powered appliances, we provide expert panel upgrade services to ensure your home’s electrical system is safe, efficient, and up to code. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Our licensed electricians are ready to assess your home’s electrical needs and provide a seamless, hassle-free upgrade.
FAQs – Electrical Panel Upgrades
What’s the difference between 100A, 200A, and 400A panels?
The amperage of your electrical panel determines your home’s power capacity. 100A panels suit older homes but often fall short of modern needs. 200A panels are the standard supporting appliances, EV chargers, and HVAC systems. 400A panels are ideal for large homes with high-power demands, additional subpanels, and extensive lighting. If you’re unsure whether your panel can handle your home’s electrical load, Mirsky Electric can help you upgrade safely and efficiently.
How long does an electrical panel upgrade take?
The amperage of your electrical panel determines your home’s power capacity. 100A panels suit older homes but often fall short of modern needs. 200A panels are the standard supporting appliances, EV chargers, and HVAC systems. 400A panels are ideal for large homes with high-power demands, additional subpanels, and extensive lighting. If you’re unsure whether your panel can handle your home’s electrical load, Mirsky Electric can help you upgrade safely and efficiently.
How long does an electrical panel upgrade take?
Most panel upgrades take 4–8 hours, depending on the complexity of the installation and whether additional wiring updates are needed. The process may take a full day if a service upgrade is required.
Are permits required for a panel upgrade in Seattle?
Yes, Seattle requires electrical permits for panel upgrades to ensure safety and code compliance. Mirsky Electric handles the entire permitting and inspection process for you.
Will I lose power during the upgrade, and for how long?
Yes, your home will temporarily lose power during the panel replacement. Power is usually restored the same day, typically within 4–8 hours. If additional upgrades are needed, we’ll discuss expected downtime with you in advance.
Can I upgrade my electrical panel without upgrading my wiring?
It depends. If your wiring is outdated, undersized, or unsafe, it may need to be upgraded along with your panel. Our electricians will assess your system and only recommend rewiring if necessary.
Do I need to upgrade my panel to install an EV charger or hot tub?
Possibly. EV chargers, hot tubs, and other high-powered appliances require dedicated electrical circuits that your current panel may not support. We assess your panel’s capacity and power needs to determine if an upgrade is necessary.