Can You Replace an Electrical Panel Yourself?

If you’re facing certain electrical issues like circuit breakers that frequently trip, physical damage to your panel, or outdated equipment that can’t keep up with household demand, you may need a new electrical panel. While some Texas homeowners might attempt a DIY electrical panel replacement, this task is best left to licensed, experienced professionals. At Republic Home Services, we provide a wide range of reliable electrical services, including brand-new panel installations, panel replacements/upgrades, and more for safety and peace of mind. 

What Does an Electrical Panel Do?

An electrical panel, also called a breaker box, is a central hub that distributes electricity throughout your Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area home. Here’s what electrical panels do, and how they work:

• They distribute power: When electricity enters your home from the utility line, it passes through a meter and enters the main panel, where it splits the electricity into smaller circuits that are directly fed to different areas of the home.

• They provide overcurrent protection: Circuit breakers installed inside the panel detect when a circuit draws too much electricity or has a short and trips the breaker and cuts off power to prevent circuit overload, wire damage, electrical shock, or fire.

• They create a central control hub: The main breaker inside your panel allows you to turn power off to the entire house, while the individual breakers let you cut power to specific circuits whenever you do any electrical maintenance or repairs. 

Can You Replace an Electrical Panel Yourself?

So, can you replace an electrical panel yourself? While it’s possible to attempt DIY panel replacement on your own, it may not be legal in your jurisdiction. There’s also a good chance that the work won’t be in compliance with current safety codes and regulations. We highly recommend hiring our experienced electricians to ensure that the job is completed safely and correctly. In some cases, you can make minor adjustments or upgrades inside the panel yourself, like replacing a damaged circuit breaker. 

Risks of DIY Electrical Panel Replacement

There are many serious risks associated with DIY electrical panel replacement, including:

• Contact with live wires: Even after turning off the main breaker, service wires coming from the utility grid into the panel remain energized, and touching them by accident can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal.

• Out of compliance: When an electrical panel is installed, it must be done in adherence with strict, constantly changing National Electrical Code (NEC) standards and should be inspected by your local municipality to pass inspection and ensure safe installation.

• Possible insurance denial: If a DIY panel installation causes an electrical fire, your homeowner’s insurance could deny your claim, leaving you to pay for the repairs and reconstruction of your home out of pocket.

• You must have permission to pull power: The electric meter should be removed from its base to sever the power before you replace the electrical panel, but most jurisdictions only give licensed professionals and local utility companies legal permission to do this.  

What a Licensed Electrician Handles During Panel Replacement

The licensed electricians at Republic Home Services handle every step of the panel replacement process:

• Load calculation: Our electricians evaluate your home’s total electrical usage to ensure that the new panel is accurately sized.

• Permitting: We pull the mandatory local building permits to make sure that your new panel meets current codes and other requirements.

• Disconnection and removal: Our team coordinates with your local utility provider to safely cut power to your home and carefully disconnects existing service wires before safely removing the old panel enclosure.

• New panel installation: Once the old panel is removed, we securely mount the new panel, confirming that it complies with clearance codes.

• Wiring: The electrician reroutes and connects all of the individual circuit wires to the new breakers, confirming that the neutral and ground wires are properly bonded. 

• Safety features: Where required by code, we install modern safety devices like Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) and Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs).

• System test: When the process is complete, we test the circuit sizing, breaker performance, and general panel functionality. 

• Safety inspection: We check for proper grounding, map and clearly label every circuit on the panel door, and coordinate with inspectors for a final safety sign-off.

DIY Electrical Work Could Cost More in the Long Run

Some homeowners prefer to perform DIY electrical work to save money, but a DIY electrical panel replacement could cost you much more than you expect in the long run. A denied insurance claim due to a fire caused by unpermitted electrical work can cost you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. If or when you sell your home in the future, this DIY work may prevent you from closing the sale and force you to pay for a licensed electrician to remove and redo everything. Simple mistakes during DIY electrical work can also lead to permanent damage to expensive appliances and electronics, leaving you responsible for the replacement. 

Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Electrical Panel

It’s important to recognize the signs that may indicate it’s time to replace your electrical panel. Understanding what these signs are and what they mean may help you know when to schedule a professional panel upgrade to keep your lights on and your home safe.

Your circuit breakers frequently trip

The electrical panel supplies power to different circuits that individually send power to zoned parts of your home. Each circuit is controlled by a breaker that trips automatically if the circuit becomes overloaded. A tripped breaker serves as a protective measure to prevent your electronics and appliances from becoming damaged and your wiring from overheating. When breakers trip occasionally, it’s not usually an issue, but if they keep tripping repeatedly, there’s a good chance that the circuits are overloaded and your panel can no longer keep up with your household’s power needs. 

You need to use power strips and extension cords

When you have to use several extension cords and power strips in multiple rooms, there’s a good chance that your power needs have exceeded your electrical system’s capacity. Not only is this unattractive and a possible trip hazard, but relying on power strips and cords can lead to overloaded circuits. If you’re using more power strips and extension cords than normal, or if you are relying on them more often, it may be time to schedule an electrical panel upgrade so you can safely add more outlets to meet your needs. 

Your lights keep dimming or flickering

If your lights keep flickering or dimming, especially when several appliances are on at the same time, it could be a sign that you need a new electrical panel. In most cases, flickering and/or dimming lights are a signal that your panel is overloaded, which can cause fluctuations in the power supply to the lights. This issue might also be a potential sign of electrical danger, so it’s important to schedule a professional inspection to figure out whether it’s happening because of an overloaded panel or an outdated panel. 

Your home has an outdated panel

Some older homes may have outdated panels, or still use fuse boxes. While 60-amp panels and fuse boxes were once the standard, they cannot support today’s high electrical demands. If you keep trying to power all of your devices and appliances on an older panel or fuse box, you risk dealing with overloaded circuits and a possible fire. If you have an older home, you should upgrade your electrical panel to stay safe, and so you can enjoy more reliable service.  

You’re remodeling your home

If you are planning to do a major home remodel like updating a kitchen that needs new appliances, your electrical system may need more capacity to accommodate everything. Other major updates, such as installing a new HVAC system or adding an EV charger to your home, can also require an electrical panel upgrade. When you install a new panel, your electrical system can power everything safely and give you more space to add new appliances and devices in the future. 

Schedule Professional Electrical Panel Replacement in Texas with Republic Home Services

Whether you’re dealing with flickering lights, frequently tripped breakers, or you’re preparing to remodel your Texas home, upgrading your electrical panel is a smart way to meet your power needs and keep you safe. The licensed electricians at Republic Home Services provide safe and reliable professional panel replacements, so contact us to schedule service today!