Is Your Home's Electrical System Stuck in the Past? Time for an Upgrade!
1. Understanding Your Current Electrical Load
Okay, so you're thinking about electricity. Exciting, right? Probably not as thrilling as, say, a new puppy, but bear with me. Let's talk about your home's electrical system. Think of it like a highway. A 100 amp service is like a two-lane road; it can handle a decent amount of traffic, but eventually, it gets congested. If you're running several appliances at once — the AC, the microwave, the hairdryer, and, heaven forbid, charging your electric car — you might be pushing that two-lane road to its limit. You may be wondering, "Do I really need to switch from 100 amp to 200 amp?"
A crucial first step in making this decision is taking stock of your current electrical needs. How many appliances do you routinely use simultaneously? What are their power requirements? Do you notice any flickering lights or tripped breakers when multiple devices are operating? If the answer to the last question is yes, you might have reached the limit of your current electrical capacity. In that case, switching from 100 amp to 200 amp will solve that issue.
Imagine this: it's Thanksgiving, everyone's over, the oven's cranking, the dishwasher's roaring, and the TV is blaring the football game. Suddenly — BAM! — the lights go out. Not exactly the festive atmosphere you were going for, huh? That's a classic sign of an overloaded 100 amp service. It also can be caused by a faulty circuit breaker.
Before diving into a potential upgrade, it's always a good idea to have a qualified electrician assess your current electrical load. They can perform a load calculation to determine if your existing service is truly insufficient for your needs. They'll consider everything from your square footage to the types of appliances you have, ensuring an accurate assessment.
