Electrical panel upgrades are often one of the first targets for homeowners who are trying to improve energy efficiency. Many people rightly wonder, “Can an upgraded panel improve efficiency?” The answer is almost always going to be yes. Several factors come into play, but most of them broadly fall under the categories of age and quality. Here is a look at how upgrading an electrical panel is likely to improve a building’s energy efficiency.
Removing Old Components
Age and time are not friends to your electrical panel. Not only do aging components tend to have poorer conductivity, but they also can pose numerous safety hazards. There is also the problem that many older panels use outdated designs and materials. For example, you will find many that use steel bus bars. The bus bars are the main components that connect the power coming from the grid to the individual parts of your house. Using a more conductive material like copper or aluminum can significantly improve the efficiency of such a panel.
Even if your old panel was a high-quality version in its day, age still hasn’t been kind to it. Connections inside an electrical panel can loosen for a host of reasons. Electrical forces can loosen connections. Also, vibrations in the structure have many years to loosen things. Corrosion is a problem, too. While it is possible to rebuild these connections, it isn’t financially feasible or technically practical. Removing the old electrical panel is the simplest and most cost-effective way to know that all of the new connections will be good.
Adding New Technologies
Another benefit to installing a new electrical panel is that the project allows you to take advantage of new technologies. For example, today’s circuit breakers offer more accurate trip mechanisms. That means fewer unnecessary and power-hungry restarts for high-draw systems, such as air conditioners and refrigerators. There are also now smart breakers that offer remote control capabilities, allowing you to turn them off remotely when you don’t need them. If you don’t need the breaker for your workshop on, why leave it drawing energy?
Heat dissipation has also improved in recent decades. Anything that helps the electrical panel’s components stay cooler is a win. Modern panel enclosures tend to have better ventilation. A bonus benefit is that cooler operation tends to improve safety.
Neutral bars and more robust grounding systems are much more common now. They also use more corrosion-resistant materials, leading to more consistent performance. Fluctuations are always bad for efficiency.
The advent of smart systems makes it easier than ever before to track problems with an electrical panel. A smart panel can quickly notify you of an unexpected increase in consumption. If there isn’t a reasonable explanation for the increase, such as a heat wave, then you might want to have an electrician check the panel.
You also can add support for higher voltages. Higher-voltage appliances are becoming more common with the advent of heat pumps, electrical vehicle charging stations, induction stoves, and similar systems. Adding dedicated circuits for these high-consumption devices will improve efficiency. This is particularly true if you’re currently using inefficient workarounds to employ them. A dedicated and appropriate connection to the panel is always the most efficient solution.
Ask Mister Sparky About Electrical Panel Upgrades in Daytona, FL
Are you interested in an electrical panel upgrade for a home in Daytona, FL? Ask Mister Sparky to assess your energy efficiency needs.