5 Reasons You Need to Replace Your Electrical Panel
It’s easy to forget about your electrical panel. It’s something that functions in the background as we go about our daily lives in our homes. If you aren’t the home improvement type or an electrician, then you may have little idea how the electrical system of your Colorado Springs home works or when to replace your electrical panel.
If you live in an older home that was built between 1900 and 1960, you may want to take a good look at the type of electrical panel you have. Knob and tube wiring and electrical panels were popular during the early 1900s. At the time it was the best technology that the electrical industry had to offer. With today’s electrical needs and the dangers this system poses, it’s best to upgrade your electrical panel.
5 Dangers of Knob & Tube Wiring
Your electrical panel is the place where your home’s electrical system connects with the city’s supply. In basic terms, it acts as a gate, keeping issues that the city may be experiencing from causing damage to your home’s system. If you haven’t had a problem, you may think that your “old school” electrical panel is just fine. However, leaving your knob and tube panel in place is a violation of electrical codes, uninsurable, and quite dangerous.
Two Stranded
Knob and tube wiring is two stranded, meaning that there is no grounding wire. There is only a hot wire and neutral wire. Not having a grounding wire can result in shocks and fires, as well as damage to your appliances.
Deterioration of Insulation
Because the technology of knob and tube electrical panels was developed in the early 1900s, the wiring sheathing disintegrates more easily than our modern sheathing. Inadequate sheathing results in higher risk of electrical fire and other damage to your electrical system.
Overused Wiring
In knob and tube panels, the wiring is fused with 15 amps, but the system itself uses 60 amps. This means more current is flowing through the wiring and could result in an electrical fire or, at the very least, excessive heat. This excessive heat can cause damage to your system and other building materials.
Exposed Wiring
When older electrical systems are overloaded (as described above), the wiring insulation can become brittle and break down. This leaves wires exposed — a serious safety hazard that significantly increases the risk of electrical fires.
Increased Risk of Shock
We have all seen those tags on our hairdryers and thought how silly it would be to use our hair dryer in the bathtub. However, just because you aren’t drying your hair in the bathtub doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. Knob and tube wiring uses two-prong receptacles. Because there is no ground wire, your risk for shock increases simply from using your hairdryer or small kitchen appliances near the bathtub or sink.
Need to Replace Your Electrical Panel?
Get your knob and tube electrical panel out of your home and out of your life to avoid the dramas and dangers that this system brings. Front Range Electric can help you replace and install your new electrical panel so you can go about your daily life with peace of mind. Call our team of experienced electricians in Colorado Springs today or click here to learn more about Colorado Spring’s Top Rated Local® Contractors!