The electricity is an integral part of life; without electricity, the life will be dull, dark and useless because in you need electricity to cook, to preserve food, for HVAC system, to watch TV, charge mobile phone and an array of other things that essentially defines your life. And your electric panel is the center of your electric system, right?
You need to check the health of the panel regularly to ensure that everything is working fine because a fault and damage can cause problems to you and your electronic devices. At times, you might need to Upgrade electrical panel to keep things safe or for resale or you want to add more power to the system.
Image Source: A1electrical
It takes proper analysis to decide the cost of the panel upgrade. Because a lot of aspects interconnect with each other, the understanding of exact requirement is key to determine the cost of the project let’s look at a few important aspects;
What are the cost factors?
1. The size of the panel: The sizes of panels are measured in “amperage”, which essentially means the amount of current it pushes into your homes. The residential properties generally have the panels ranging from 100 to 200 amps. A Calgary electrician will be able to tell you the exact requirement.
2. The trenching: Your electric system gets power from the utility lines that means if you want to upgrade your panel, then you have to upgrade the electrical lines that run underground from the utility lines. And the electricians need to trench and reconfigure the line to empower your panel capable of receiving more power.
3. The wiring: At times, you need to change the complete wiring to accommodate the additional power. For instance; if you have an old and outdated 60 amp panel, then it will not be able to handle the load, it is advisable that you work with an electrician who could look at the wiring requirements that include Aluminum wiring repair.
4. The new meter requirement: At times, the utility company needs a new meter and this can add up to your cost significantly.
5. Finally, the cost of an electrical contractor that can offer you complete service.
But the real game lies in finding the right contractor; the expert electricians will be able to understand better and work much faster; in addition, they can also reduce the cost of the project significantly. The below mentioned are a few important factors that you need to consider before hiring the contractor.
Image Source: Kbelectricpa
How to choose the best contractor?
- First, you need to look at their experience by looking at their track record and customer reviews
- The contractor should be licensed and insured organization; always avoid the companies that are not licensed and insured.
- The company should be able to offer comprehensive service at a reasonable cost
Apparently, by analyzing the important aspects of the panel upgrade process and working with an experienced company, you will be able to save time and money. Most importantly, you will be able to get a perfect finish that will add value and improve the efficacy.