Electrical Service Upgrades - Bronxville, NY

Most people think of an electrical service upgrade as simply increasing their home electrical supply such as going from a 100 amp to a 200 amp electrical service. In fact, a proper evaluation of your home’s existing electrical system and expected future electricity usage is the best starting point. It will indicate not only whether your home needs an electrical service upgrade but also what form that upgrade should take to ensure an adequate electrical supply and smooth operation of your appliances and devices.  

Keep in mind that building codes are updated regularly and any electrical work done on your home should be performed according to code and by professional, licensed electricians; especially when it comes to an electrical service upgrade.  

As we adopt new and advanced technologies into our homes, it is important to consider upgrading your Bronxville, NY home’s electrical service. Smart home automation systems, new and/or additional appliances, home assistants like Alexa or Google Home, whole house audio systems, electric car chargers and similar systems all require additional electrical supply. In turn, this may all add up to needing an electrical service upgrade for your home electrical system so that the new appliances and devices run smoothly, safely and efficiently. At the same time, it makes sense to consider installing a whole-house surge protection system to protect your sensitive and expensive devices.

Upgrading your homes' electrical supply most often also includes an upgrade to the electrical panel. Your home's electrical panel regulates the supply of electricity to all the appliances, devices, switches and outlets in your home. A properly installed electrical panel will provide a steady, consistent flow of electricity which will improve both the efficiency and the life expectancy of your Bronxville, NY home’s appliances and devices.

In addition to electrical service upgrades, there are other reasons for an electrical panel upgrade:

Homes in the Bronxville, NY area that were built prior to the 1960s had fuse boxes rather than circuit breakers. Fuses must be replaced every time a circuit breaks and present safety concerns if not replaced properly. Also, fuses do not always support the upgraded electrical service capacity required to run the modern array of appliances and devices. 

If your electrical panel in your Bronxville, NY home feels warm or hot to touch, or if you detect a burning smell, it may be either overloaded or incorrectly installed. In some cases, a warm panel could mean there is a defect in the panel itself. In these cases, it is urgent to have a licensed electrician on premises to confirm if a replacement or an upgrade is required. Likewise, if the circuit breakers in your electrical panel trip frequently, they are doing their job, but there is a problem with the circuit. It could be there are too many devices running at the same time on that particular circuit and the circuit does not have the capacity to support the demands; or something could be loose or damaged behind the devices or wall.

If you are remodeling or renovating an older Bronxville, NY house, or finishing a basement, you may need to move an electrical panel. With or without an electrical service upgrade, this is a complicated process. Understanding today’s current codes and the layout of the house and the existing electrical circuits, wires and cables is critical and the job should be performed by professional, licensed electricians. 

When the existing electric panel in your Bronxville, NY home is full and additional circuits are needed, adding a sub-panel may be appropriate. However, a complete understanding of the current level electrical service and the capacity of the existing electrical panel is vital. For example, if an electrical panel has a 200 amp capacity, a sub-panel for 100 amp can be installed; however, if the main electrical panel can support only 100 amp, an additional sub-panel is not an option unless a complete electrical service upgrade is performed. 

When remodeling or renovating a Bronxville, NY home, new dedicated circuits may be needed or required to ensure safe and adequate power supply is delivered to new systems or appliances, like a central air conditioning system or an electric car charging station. Certain home appliances like refrigerators or dishwashers are required by code to be set up with their own dedicated circuit.

To supply electricity to your Bronxville, NY home from a backup generator, the generator needs to be connected to your home’s electrical system. This is done using a transfer switch that is used to switch between the electric supply received from the utility and the supply received from the generator. Safeguards must be included so electricity is not sent back into the electrical grid. Just like with an electrical service upgrade, a proper evaluation of your home’s existing electrical system and expected future electricity usage is needed to ensure an adequate electrical supply and smooth operation of your appliances and devices.