Upgrading your electrical service is necessary to ensure your home’s safety and protect its value.
If you own or rent an older, over 20-year-old property and experience flickering lights and tripping breakers, there’s a 90% chance your electrical service is outdated.
Many older homes still use obsolete electrical systems such as fuse boxes and worn-out wiring.
Electrical service replacement will help prevent electrical hazards and make your electrical system up-to-code and safer.
But, if this is your first time considering an electrical service upgrade, you may not be aware of the costs involved.
The price of an electrical service upgrade can vary significantly depending on various factors, and different electrical companies may charge vastly different prices.
Typically, the cost to upgrade electrical service is anywhere from $3,000 to $600 or even higher.
While electrical service replacement can be expensive, it is an investment worth making.
To understand the cost, we must first learn what an electrical service is and what is involved.
What Is An Electrical Service?
The electrical service panel is essential to your home’s electrical system.
It connects the electricity from power lines or utility poles to your house to power outlets and appliances.
Its main job is to safely deliver electricity to where it’s needed and to control the heat from the electrical circuits.
Most homes have one main electrical service panel, but some might have extra panels for more circuits.
The distribution system can have two kinds of wires:
- Wires that bring electricity from the panel to each device.
- Writes that connect different devices on the same circuit.
Your home’s electrical service also has four main parts:
- service entrance (which can be overhead or underground)
- a meter socket
- a panel with breakers
- a service cable
The main service panel is a gray metal box usually located in a utility area like a garage, basement, or wall outside the house.
It can also be found on an interior wall behind the exterior wall where the electric meter is located. Or in a room labelled “Electrical Room” or “Mechanical Room.”
The main service panel contains safety devices to prevent power wastage and ensure safe operation, grounded to protect against electrical shocks.
The power of the electrical service is measured in amps. Older homes might have a 60-amp service, but newer homes usually have a minimum of 100-200 amps.
What Is An Electrical Service Replacement?
Electrical service replacement means adding more power to your home or updating the equipment, such as the electrical mast, meter, panel, breakers, and wiring.
Making sure your electrical service is safe and meets current safety standards is important. Upgrading it can help you handle additional power when changing your service amps.
Nowadays, we use a lot of electrical appliances like air conditioners, computers, HD TVs, and smart home devices that need more power.
So, upgrading is vital to handle these high-powered devices.
For instance, if you have both an electric stove and a dryer, you’ll need to upgrade to a 100 amp service.
This is to prevent overloading a 60 amp service, which might happen with all your other outlets and lights in use.
Sometimes, your insurance company might ask you to upgrade your electrical system to be eligible.
Usually, this upgrade means replacing an old fuse box with a new breaker panel.
It involves changing the pipe outside your house, the wires inside it, the meter, and the wires from the meter to your panel.
It also includes replacing the panel and breakers and updating your home’s grounding system with ground rods and water ground.
The Cost To Upgrade Electrical Service
The cost of upgrading your home’s electrical service depends on various factors, such as the type of service, panel size, distance between the panel and the meter, and the need for an electrical wiring upgrade.
The type of service you have will affect the cost of your service upgrade. If you have an overhead electrical service, you must spend between $4000 and $5000 for a 200 amp electrical panel upgrade.
If your electrical services are fed underground, then costs start at about $6000 and up.
The average cost to rewire a home in Canada is between $2,500 and $6,000, depending on the size and age of the house and the extent of the rewiring required.
If you’re considering upgrading your electrical service, contact us at Panel Upgrade Experts.
Our licensed electricians will perform the upgrade and work with your local permitting agency to ensure the job meets all the code requirements.
Get in touch with us today by simply filling out the form for a FREE site visit and get an estimate for your electrical service upgrade.
FAQs
How many amps of service do I need?
If you live in a small house and use gas heating, a 100-amp service panel might suffice. However, you will likely need a 200-amp panel if you have many electronic appliances.
What is the standard electrical service?
Standard residential electrical service is usually 200 amps, 120/240 volts, single phase. However, larger apartment complexes may require separate metering systems for each unit. In this case, the service entrance will have a single 200-amp meter, while individual units may use a 60 or 100-amp meter depending on local code.
Can I replace an electrical service myself?
Avoid upgrading your electrical panel yourself. It’s risky, and your insurance won’t cover any mistakes. Call a professional electrician for major work. Upgrading without a permit is considered negligent by your insurer.
What are the benefits of an electrical service upgrade?
Upgrading your electrical service has several benefits, including safety. It also gives you more options for adding new appliances and electrical equipment to your home. It can increase the value of your house and may even lower your home insurance premiums.
