Most homes built before 1990 were wired for 60 or 100-amp service. That made sense for the appliances of that era. Today’s homes are a different story.
Signs You Need a 200-Amp Upgrade
If you’re planning to install an EV charger, add a home office with dedicated circuits, or add any major appliance — a 100-amp panel may not have the headroom. A load calculation will tell you definitively.
Breakers that trip under normal loads, lights that dim when appliances run, and a panel that’s already fully loaded are all signs you’re near capacity.
What a 200-Amp Upgrade Involves
We coordinate with the utility company for a service upgrade, pull the required permits, install a new load center, and label every circuit correctly. In DC, Maryland, and Virginia, all panel work requires permits and inspections — that’s non-negotiable.
A 200-amp upgrade isn’t just more capacity — it’s replacing decades of wear on every component in your main panel.
What It Won’t Fix
A new panel doesn’t fix old branch wiring. If your home has aluminum wiring, knob-and-tube, or undersized circuits to specific areas, those need to be addressed separately.