Some indicators that you have a blown electrical panel include:

1. The power to your home is off and the breaker will not reset.
2. The breaker is hot to the touch.
3. The breaker trips multiple times.
4. There is a burning smell coming from the breaker.

Here are some signs you need to replace your electrical panel circuit breaker box:

• Circuit breakers are no longer made for the specific brand panel in your home.
• When you search the brand panel from your home, you find information about the panel is a fire hazard and unsafe.
• Your panel has crackling noises coming from it.
• Your panel has more breakers inside than are listed on it
• Your panel has rust and corrosion inside and around it.

It depends on how much capacity your panel has left. If there's room, we can add outdoor lighting circuits directly; if the panel is already full or near its limit, we install a subpanel to create additional space or upgrade your main panel to provide more room — we don't recommend adding circuits to an already overloaded panel, since that can lead to major panel damage. Before adding any new circuit, our electricians run a load calculation to confirm your panel's actual capacity, so you know exactly what your system can safely support before work begins.

Yes — we can upgrade your panel for an EV charger, hot tub, or similar high-draw equipment, but an upgrade isn't always required. You can often install a Level 2 EV charger without a panel upgrade: if your home has at least 200 amps and two empty slots for a double-pole breaker, you likely have room, while older 100- or 125-amp panels, or a panel with no open slots, usually need an upgrade or a small subpanel. Our electricians run a load calculation first to check your panel's real capacity, and if you're adding an EV charger, heat pump, or hot tub with no open slots, an upgrade may be the best option.

Not always—it depends on your current panel's amperage and how many open breaker slots you have left. For electrical additions like EV chargers, our electricians run a load calculation first rather than assuming an upgrade is needed, since a 200-amp panel with two open slots for a double-pole breaker is often enough. The same logic applies to solar and whole-home generators: most installers look for at least 200-amp service, and panels at 100 or 125 amps, or ones already near capacity, are the ones most likely to need an upgrade or a small subpanel. A licensed electrician should check your specific panel before you commit to equipment.

On most of our installation jobs, yes — we leave you with the new equipment and no mess, taking the old panel and debris with us.

For most electrical work, our technicians fish wires through walls and ceilings using specialized drill bits, fishing tools, and in-wall digital cameras, so there's little to no drywall patching needed in most cases — about 90% of the time, we complete jobs like recessed lighting with zero drywall damage. Even on a whole-home rewire, generally only a few small 4"x4" holes are needed. A full panel relocation may be more involved, though. Rest assured, we'll always ask before cutting any holes.