Electrical Panel Upgrade in Houston. Old breaker box? We replace it.
Your panel is the one part of the house nobody thinks about until it starts tripping, or until the EV charger or the generator needs room it doesn't have.
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Electrical panel installation at Brittmoore Animal Hospital in Texas.
Residential & Commercial Panels
Keep your home or office safe from potential hazards. The breaker panel, or better known as your electrical panel, is the heart with which electricity flows throughout your home. Outdated or out of code electrical panels pose an unseen threat to your home or business. Insufficient electrical panels can cause untold headaches. Luckily, our expert technicians at Wired Electrical & Generators can help you prevent such risks. We can offer a free quote on our panel upgrade services. Our team will expertly replace your old panel by installing a new electrical panel that is fully compliant with NEC safety codes. Panels that were installed more than 20 years ago may not have the capability to withstand the amount of power we use daily for TVs, computers, gaming systems, networking, security, kitchen appliances, and more. We can help you upgrade to larger panels that can accommodate all your modern needs. Count on Wired Electrical & Generators to visit your home or business to inspect the electrical panel you have in place. We will give you an honest assessment of your panel and offer a quote on the necessary services to fix the problem. If you have questions about your electrical panel or how to add the latest technology to your home or office, contact our friendly team of experts for help.
Increased Capacity
Modern electrical panels can handle higher electrical loads, allowing you to power more appliances, devices, and equipment without risking overload or tripped breakers.
Future-Proofing
Investing in an upgraded electrical panel future-proofs your property, ensuring that it can adapt to evolving technology and electrical needs for years to come.
Room for What’s Next
A new panel gives you open spaces and capacity for an EV charger, a generator transfer switch, or an addition.
Compliance with Codes
Electrical codes and regulations are constantly evolving to ensure the safety and integrity of electrical systems. Upgrading your panel ensures compliance with the latest codes, protecting your property and its occupants.
Enhanced Safety
Old, worn-out electrical panels are more prone to malfunction and pose a greater risk of electrical fires and shocks. Upgrading to a new panel with advanced safety features provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
When a panel needs replacing.
If you're nodding at any of these, call.
- Breakers trip when the AC and the dryer run together.
- No room for the EV charger, the generator transfer switch, or the addition.
- It's old. Fuses, a brand an inspector flinches at, or the house is from the 80s and the panel is original.
- Warm breakers, buzzing, or a burning smell. That one's a call today.
- Service upgrade to 200 amps, with the CenterPoint coordination handled by us.
From first call to finished job.
- Call. Tell us what it's doing, or send a photo of the panel.
- We come out. Free estimate. We'll tell you whether it's a repair, a panel, or a full service upgrade.
- We replace it. Permit pulled, inspection scheduled, CenterPoint coordinated. Usually one day.
Signs You Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade
Some warning signs show up around the house and some are in the breaker box. A few are about what you plan to add, not what is wrong today.
Signs you can notice around the house
Lights that dim when the AC starts, outlets that feel warm and fuses that keep blowing all deserve attention. So does a breaker that will not stay reset. These can come from a failing circuit rather than the panel, so an electrician should find the cause before anyone guesses.
Signs at the panel itself
Rust, water stains or moisture on the cabinet, a door that no longer closes and no spare breaker spaces are common findings. Another is breakers doubled up to fit more circuits than the panel was designed for. Leave the cover closed and send us a photo of the outside and the label, which is enough for us to start.
Reasons to upgrade that are not problems
Many upgrades happen because you are adding something, such as an EV charger, a generator, a bigger AC, a pool, an addition or a kitchen remodel. A home inspector or an insurance company may also ask you to replace a panel or have it evaluated. If you are buying an older house, a panel review before closing helps you plan.
100 Amp vs 200 Amp Service: Replacement, Upgrade or Subpanel
People say panel upgrade for several different jobs. Which one you need depends on whether the panel, the service or just the available space is the problem.
100 amp vs 200 amp service
Service size is the total amount of power your home can draw from the utility, and the panel has to match it. Many older Houston homes were built with 100 amp service, which was enough before central AC, electric dryers and EVs became routine. A 200 amp service leaves more headroom for the way homes use power now.
Electrical panel replacement vs service upgrade
A panel replacement swaps the box and breakers and keeps the service size you have. A service upgrade also changes the parts that bring power into the house, such as the meter base, the service wire and the grounding, and it is coordinated with the utility. A 200 amp panel upgrade on a smaller existing service is usually a service upgrade, and we confirm which one you need on the visit.
When a subpanel is the better answer
A subpanel is a second breaker box fed from the main one, often in a garage, workshop or addition. It adds spaces closer to the loads but does not add capacity to the home, so it only helps if the main service has room to spare. We recommend one when it solves the real problem, and we say so when it will not.
Breaker box replacement
Breaker box replacement is the same work as a panel replacement, described the way most people search for it. It makes sense when the box is damaged, out of spaces, outdated or from a brand with a safety record we question. You get new breakers, a labeled circuit directory and a panel that meets current code.
Federal Pacific, Zinsco and Panel Brand Questions
Old panel names come up often when homes are bought and sold. Here is what we can say in general, and why we want to see each panel in person.
Federal Pacific panels and Stab-Lok breakers
Federal Pacific Electric panels, often with Stab-Lok breakers, were installed in many homes for decades. Inspectors and others have raised long-running concerns that some of those breakers may not trip as intended during a fault. That does not mean every one has failed, but many electricians and inspectors recommend having these panels evaluated, and we tell you what we see in yours.
Zinsco and similar older panels
Zinsco panels, and some similar designs sold under other names, have drawn concern about breakers that can fuse to the bus and stop protecting a circuit. Inspectors often flag them, and some insurers ask about them. We do not diagnose these over the phone, and a visit is the way to learn the condition of your panel and your options.
Square D, Eaton, Siemens and GE panels
Square D, Eaton, Siemens and GE all make residential panels that meet current standards. We choose based on your home's needs, the space available, parts availability and the breaker types you want, such as arc fault and ground fault protection. Panels and breakers have to be matched to each other, so tell us if you have a preference and we will work it out.
Panel Upgrade Permits, CenterPoint Coordination and Power Outage Time
A panel upgrade involves more than the box on the wall. Permits, the utility and a day without power are all part of the plan.
Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade?
Yes. A panel or service change is permitted electrical work, and it gets inspected. We pull the permit under our license, schedule the inspection and meet the inspector, so you are not chasing government offices. Unpermitted panel work can cause problems with insurance, a home sale or a later inspection.
Inspection and CenterPoint disconnect and reconnect
On a service upgrade, the utility has to disconnect power at the meter and reconnect it when the work is ready. In most of Greater Houston that utility is CenterPoint, and we coordinate the disconnect and reconnect around your inspection. In some places the inspection has to pass before power is restored, and we tell you how it will go for your address.
How long the power is off and what the day looks like
Plan for the power to be off for most of a working day during a full panel replacement. We tell you the plan the day before, protect the area around the panel and label every circuit as we reconnect it. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and tell us when you call if anyone in the home relies on powered medical equipment.
Panel Upgrade Cost Factors, EV Planning and Generator Transfer Switches
A panel is what everything else in the house plugs into. Planning it around what you will add next saves you from opening it up twice.
What drives electrical panel upgrade cost
Panel upgrade cost depends on the service size, the condition of the meter base and wiring, where the panel is and how hard it is to reach, the panel brand and breaker types, permit and utility fees and any corrections an inspector requires. No two houses match, which is why we do not post a number. Programs and incentives for panel work vary and change, so ask your electric utility or a tax professional what applies, and ask us for a written estimate after a free visit.
Preparing your panel for an EV charger
If an EV is in your future, build it into the plan now. We can size the new panel and leave the spaces and capacity for a Level 2 charger, even if you have not bought the car yet. That way the charger install later is a short visit and not a second panel project.
Panel upgrade and generator transfer switch together
A transfer switch connects a standby or portable generator to your home so power cannot flow back out to the grid and endanger line workers. Doing it during a panel upgrade avoids repeat work and lets us size the pieces together. As a Generac Prestige Dealer, we plan the panel and the generator as one system.
Why you should not upgrade the panel yourself
Panel work involves the incoming service lines, which stay energized even with the main breaker off. A mistake can mean shock, fire or an insurance claim that gets denied. The job also needs a permit, an inspection and utility coordination, which we handle as part of the work. This is a job for a licensed electrician.
Fuse Boxes, Aluminum Wiring and AFCI or GFCI Breakers
Older homes around Houston often have more going on than just an old panel. These are the questions that come up when we open the cover.
Replacing an old fuse box
Fuse boxes did their job for a long time, but most were built for far less load than a modern home uses. The common problem is people putting in a larger fuse when one keeps blowing, which lets the wire overheat. Many insurers and buyers also ask about fuse boxes. Replacing one with a breaker panel is one of the more common upgrades we do in older homes.
Aluminum branch wiring
Some homes built in the past used aluminum wire for outlets and lights. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper, and connections can loosen and heat up over time. If we see it during a panel upgrade, we tell you. Options include special connectors made for aluminum to copper repairs at each device, or rewiring the affected circuits. We explain both in plain terms.
AFCI and GFCI breakers
GFCI protection stops shocks in wet areas such as kitchens, baths, garages and outdoors. AFCI protection watches for arcing in wires, which can start fires inside walls. Current code calls for these in many parts of the house. When we replace a panel, we tell you which circuits need this protection and what it means for the breakers you get.
Meter Base, Mast and Service Entrance
The panel is only part of the service. The meter base and the wires that bring power to the house matter just as much on an upgrade.
When the meter base needs replacing too
Moving to 200 amp service often means a new meter base rated for it. Older meter cans can also be rusted, loose, or damaged by storms. We check the meter base, the mast and the weatherhead as part of the estimate. If they need work, it is part of the same permit and the same CenterPoint disconnect and reconnect, so you do not lose power twice.
Storm damage to the mast or service drop
High winds and falling limbs can pull the service drop and bend the mast on the side of the house. CenterPoint owns the lines up to the house, but the mast, meter base and panel are the homeowner side. That part needs a licensed electrician to repair, and often an inspection, before power can be restored. We handle the repair and coordinate the rest.
Overhead and underground service
Some homeowners ask about moving an overhead line underground at the same time as a panel upgrade. That is a bigger project that involves CenterPoint, trenching and a separate plan. If you are thinking about it, bring it up during the estimate visit. We will tell you what is involved and whether it makes sense to do together with the panel.
Panel Lifespan, Insurance and Selling Your Home
Panels do not last forever, and the age and brand of yours can come up with your insurer or a buyer.
How long an electrical panel lasts
A well-installed panel can last for decades, but heat, moisture, loose connections and added load wear it down. Rust, a warm cover, breakers that will not stay set, or a panel that is full with no room for new circuits are signs it is near the end. Age alone is not a reason to replace. Condition and what you plan to add are what matter.
Insurance companies and older panels
Some insurance companies ask about panel brand and age, and some will not cover homes with certain older panels such as Federal Pacific or Zinsco. If your insurer has asked you to replace a panel, send us a photo of the label. We can tell you what you have and give you a written estimate you can share with the insurer.
Panels and home inspections
Home inspectors often flag older panel brands, double-tapped breakers, missing labels and missing knockouts. Buyers then ask for repairs or a credit. If you are selling, a panel check before you list gives you time to fix it on your schedule. If you are buying, we can look at the panel and give you a clear picture of what it needs.
What a Wired Panel Upgrade Includes
Here is what goes into a panel upgrade from start to finish, so you can compare estimates on the same terms.
Load calculation and a written estimate
We start by looking at what the house uses now and what you plan to add, such as an EV charger, a generator or a pool. That tells us whether you need a new panel, a service upgrade, or a subpanel. You get a written estimate that names the panel, the amperage, and any meter base or grounding work. Every house is different, so a free visit gets you a written estimate.
Permit, install and inspection
We pull the permit, schedule the CenterPoint disconnect, and install the new panel and breakers. We update grounding and bonding where needed and move each circuit to the new panel. After the city inspection passes, CenterPoint reconnects the power. Our own licensed electricians do the work. You do not have to manage the permit or the utility. We keep you posted on the schedule at each step.
Labeling, surge protection and cleanup
Each breaker gets a clear label so you know what it controls. Many homeowners add a whole house surge protector at the same time, since the panel is already open. We clean up the work area and walk you through the new panel before we leave. If you plan to add a generator later, we tell you how the panel is set up for it.
Breaker box replacement and 200 amp panel upgrades
Panel work is the job that makes everything else possible: the EV charger, the generator, the addition, the new AC.
Electrical panel upgrade
We swap the old panel for a new one, label every circuit, and have CenterPoint disconnect and reconnect the power. Permit pulled, inspection scheduled.
Breaker box replacement
Fuses, a brand an inspector flinches at, or a breaker box that is warm, rusted or buzzing: we replace it rather than patch it.
200 amp panel upgrade
Many Houston homes were built with 100 amp service. A 200 amp panel gives room for a charger, a generator transfer switch and a new AC.
Panel upgrade cost
Every house is different, so we do not post a number that would be wrong for yours. A free visit gets you a written estimate. Texting a photo of your panel to (713) 467-1125 gets you started.
Ask us anything. These come up most.
Do I need a permit?
Yes, and we pull it. We schedule the inspection and meet the inspector.
How long is the power off?
Most of a day for a full panel swap. We tell you the plan the day before.
Can you add the generator transfer switch at the same time?
Yes, and it's the right time to do it.
How do I know if I need a 200 amp panel upgrade?
If breakers trip when the AC and dryer run together, you want to add an EV charger or generator, or the panel is original to an older house, a 200 amp upgrade is usually the answer. We check on a free visit.
How much does a panel upgrade cost?
It depends on the panel, the service size and the work around it, so we quote after a free visit rather than guess.
Does an electrical panel upgrade qualify for a tax credit?
Programs tied to panel work have changed over the years and differ by utility and by year, so we do not quote them. Ask your electric utility and a tax professional what applies to you. We provide a written estimate that you can show them.
Can you add more breakers to a breaker box?
Only if the panel has open spaces, the correct breaker type for that panel and enough service capacity for the new load. A full box is one of the most common reasons people end up replacing a panel. Depending on your house, a subpanel or a panel replacement is usually the better route.
How do I know if my panel is 200 amp?
The main breaker normally has its rating printed on it, and you can see it by opening the panel's outer door only, never the inner metal cover. A photo texted to (713) 467-1125 lets us help you read it. Service size also depends on the meter base and wiring, which we check on a visit.
Do you replace Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels?
Yes. We inspect first, explain what we find and recommend replacement when the condition of the panel or the concerns around that brand call for it. We do not push a replacement without telling you why.
How should I prepare for panel upgrade day?
Clear a path to the panel and the meter and move stored items away from both. Secure pets, plan for no AC or power for most of the day and tell us about any medical equipment. We confirm access, including any gate, ahead of time.
How long does an electrical panel last?
Often for decades, but condition matters more than age. Rust, heat, breakers that will not stay set, and a panel with no open spaces are signs it is time to look at replacing it.
Is an old fuse box dangerous?
Not always, but fuse boxes were built for less load than most homes use today, and oversized fuses can let wiring overheat. Many insurers and buyers ask about them. We can check yours and tell you where it stands.
My insurance company wants my panel replaced. Can you help?
Yes. Send us a photo of the panel label. We can tell you what brand and type it is and give you a written estimate you can share with your insurer.
Do I need a new meter base for a 200 amp upgrade?
Often yes, because the meter base must be rated for the new service. We check the meter base, mast and weatherhead during the estimate, and any work there goes on the same permit.
Does a new panel need AFCI or GFCI breakers?
Current code calls for this protection in many areas of the home. We tell you which circuits need it as part of the estimate, so there are no surprises at inspection.
Send us a photo of your panel.
Text it to (713) 467-1125 and we'll tell you what we see.