Not Worth the Risk!
Don’t mess around with old electrical panels. The risk of an electrical fire isn’t worth your peace of mind and family’s safety! Fire them now before a fire can be triggered due to their hazardous condition.
Q – How do I know if my panel is hazardous?
- A – The simple truth – its age! Is it older than 25 years? If so, it’s not up to code and could have a recall on it.
Q – Is age the only determining factor of whether or not my old electrical panel is a danger?
- A – No. Normal wear and tear is a culprit as well as power surges.
Q – What is a power surge and why do they happen?
- A – Storms and grid failure can cause power surges, but these aren’t the alarming type. Faulty wiring and an overloaded electrical panel are the alarming type.
Q – How do I know if my panel is overloaded?
- A – Too many appliances or too many extension cords can overload your electrical panel. This will cause huge current spikes because the draw on the electric power is too overwhelming.
Q – What happens if my electrical panel has faulty wiring?
- A – Because the wires are exposed or damaged, you may smell burning or see burn marks at your outlets. Your circuit breakers may trip constantly, and you might even hear buzzing or whirring sounds from your outlets. This can be extremely dangerous because you can’t see the wiring behind the walls.
Q – What is an electrical panel recall?
- A – More than just aging-out, a panel can be recalled because of manufacturing defects.
Q – What panel recalls are in existence?
- A – Currently, FPE (Federal Pacific Electric) also named Stab-Lok, Bulldog also named Pushmatic, Zinsco also named GTE Sylvania-Zinsco panels, Challenger panels that were manufactured by the Challenger Electrical Equipment Corp or Eaton/Cutler-Hammer, and as of summer 2022, a voluntary recall for Schneider panels has been posted.