Concord, NC, is today a thriving local community. Alongside the brilliant mix of rural and urban backdrop lies one of the most vibrant places to live in this part of the US. As a homeowner in Concord, NC, you might find yourself with an overloaded electrical panel or a need for a better-distributed power system. We know that, with the influx of new electrical equipment, most homeowners have fitted outlets and new circuits into their homes to deal with the demand. The standard solution to deal with this increased power coverage is to split up your distribution system into smaller sub-panel systems.
The Breaker Panel’s Importance
A breaker panel has the task of protecting a home’s wiring from overloads or power surges during operation. It does this by employing either fuses or circuit breakers. Each of these breaks the circuit if the incoming power becomes too much for your home appliances to handle. However, the more load that your main breaker panel has to deal with, the more of a hazard it becomes.
When is a Sub-Panel Necessary?
Sub-panels can be installed for a variety of reasons, but the primary one is because of safety. In several situations, having a breaker panel will help the home remain safe and avoid problems later on. A few of the more common reasons a homeowner might find installing a sub panel to be a useful addition include:
- Avoiding Overwiring: Overwiring is a bit of a hack when it comes to getting the most efficiency out of your breaker panel. The process involves including multiple circuits in a single slot. At first, the breaker might even seem as though it’s correctly wired, but these sorts of shortcuts can cause severe damage to home appliances. It’s also a code violation in many locations. Instead of overwiring the main breaker, you should consider adding a sub-panel to deal with the extra load.
- New Additions to the Property: With each new addition to your building, you need to ensure that your wiring is updated. If your main breaker panel has space in it, then adding in a single breaker for your addition is a simple process. However, in the interest of keeping things separate, the ideal solution would be to have a sub-panel dedicated to that particular extension. This solution is especially true if the extension is something like a warehouse or working space, since those may have an extreme power demand all on their own.
- The Main Panel Has no Space: As we mentioned above, the more electrical circuits that use your breaker, the less space is available for future additions. While most of us don’t access our panels regularly, replacing a fuse or resetting a tripped circuit breaker could become a safety hazard if your main panel is overcrowded. To avoid exposing yourself to potentially fatal electric shock, always look at the state of your main panel before you commence new electrical works. Ideally, your electrical contractor should be advising you on whether you should look into installing a sub-panel.
Doing It the Right Way
LiveWire has been doing sub-panel installations in Concord, NC, for a long time, and we’ve encountered a lot of situations where homeowners aren’t aware of the danger their overcrowded breakers pose. If you have an electrical installation, contact us, and we’ll be glad to advise you on whether you need a sub-panel or not. We’ll even help you install it! Give us a call today, and let’s help you keep your home safely wired.