Most Columbus homeowners do not think about their electrical panel until a breaker trips, lights flicker, or a contractor says that the panel might not handle a new project. The panel is usually a metal box in the basement, garage, or utility room that you pass by without a second thought. When you start hearing that it might be too small or outdated, it can be confusing to know how serious that really is.
This topic matters more now than it did when many Central Ohio homes were built. Today's families plug in far more appliances, electronics, and comfort systems than a typical Columbus household used 30 or 40 years ago. If your home still has the original panel from that era, it might be quietly doing more than it was ever designed for, even if you have not had any obvious failures yet.
At West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc., we have been working in West Jefferson, Columbus, and communities across Central Ohio since 1976. Over those decades, we have watched power needs climb while many homes still run on the same electrical service they started with. In this guide, we will share how to tell when an electrical panel upgrade really makes sense, what is involved, and how we help homeowners make the right call for their house and budget.
Why Columbus Homes Outgrow Their Electrical Panels
A lot of the homes around Columbus and West Jefferson were built when a couple of televisions, some kitchen appliances, and a basic furnace or air conditioner were the biggest electrical loads in the house. Many of those homes have 60 amp or 100 amp service, which was considered adequate at the time. The issue is that these homes were never designed around the way we use power today.
Modern living layers on far more demand. Central air conditioning and high efficiency furnaces, heat pumps, home offices full of electronics, big screen TVs in multiple rooms, finished basements, and hot tubs all draw from the same service. Each item might have been added one at a time, which makes the increase feel gradual instead of like a major change to your electrical system.
That slow buildup is exactly why many Columbus homes quietly outgrow their panels. The original panel might handle the load most days, but it is working closer to its limits. You may notice minor annoyances at first, like a breaker that trips now and then or lights that dim when your air conditioner starts up. Those are signs that the system is no longer comfortably sized, which is when we start talking to homeowners about whether a panel upgrade would be a smart move.
Common Signs Your Columbus Home May Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade
One of the first questions homeowners ask us is how to know if their panel is a problem. While a full answer comes from an in-home evaluation, there are several warning signs that often point toward a panel that is near its limits or past its prime. Paying attention to these can help you address issues before they turn into bigger problems.
Repeated breaker trips are a common clue. If you find yourself resetting the same breaker regularly, especially when you use certain appliances together, that circuit may be overloaded. Dimming or flickering lights when your air conditioner, microwave, or other big appliance starts up suggest that the system is straining to supply power. Outlets, switches, or the panel cover that feel unusually warm can indicate that heat is building up where it should not.
There are also visible issues inside the panel that signal trouble. Rust or white corrosion on metal parts, burned or discolored insulation near breakers, or a panel that makes buzzing or crackling sounds all deserve attention from an electrician. Double-tapped breakers, where more than one wire is connected to a breaker that was not designed for it, and a panel packed full of tandem breakers are signs that someone has tried to squeeze more circuits into a panel than it was meant to hold.
Changes in how you use your home can be just as important as physical symptoms. If your Columbus home still has its original 60 or 100 amp panel but you have added central air, finished the basement, installed an electric range or dryer, or are planning for an EV charger or hot tub, those new loads may push an older system beyond what is comfortable. Our team is known for looking beyond the quick fix when you call about a tripping breaker, taking the time to see if there is a bigger capacity issue that should be addressed.
How Much Power Is Enough? Panel Sizes and Modern Electrical Loads
When we talk about panel upgrades, a big part of the conversation is how much power your home really needs. Older Columbus houses might have a 60 amp panel, which was once normal for a smaller home without central air. Many homes built later have 100 amp service, which is still common. Newer construction often uses 150 amp or 200 amp panels because of the way modern families use electricity.
To make those numbers meaningful, it helps to think about what major appliances draw. A central air conditioner or heat pump often demands a dedicated 240 volt circuit. An electric range, electric dryer, or hot tub will also need their own 240 volt circuits and add significant load. When you add smaller but numerous circuits for kitchen outlets, a finished basement, a home office, and exterior lighting, the total demand on the panel starts to add up quickly.
Electric vehicle chargers are a good example of a newer load that can tip the balance. A Level 2 charger typically requires a 240 volt circuit with a substantial amp rating by itself. In a home with a 100 amp panel that already serves central air and other large appliances, finding safe room for another big circuit can be challenging. In some cases, an electrician can rearrange or balance existing loads, but often the better long term answer is to increase the size of the service and panel.
Our electricians do not guess at this. We perform a load calculation, which is a structured way of adding up typical and maximum expected loads in your home. As a full service HVAC and electrical contractor, we routinely size electrical service to handle high efficiency furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, and other large equipment we install. We also look ahead at upgrades you are considering, so the panel we recommend today will support what you plan to add tomorrow.
Safety Risks of Hanging On To an Outdated Electrical Panel
From a homeowner’s point of view, an old panel that still works can be easy to ignore, especially if it has not given you major trouble. The real concern is that as components age and loads rise, the safety margin that panel once had starts to shrink. Panels and breakers are not just switches; they are safety devices that must operate correctly when something goes wrong.
When a circuit is overloaded or there is a short, a properly functioning breaker should trip quickly and shut off power. In an older or overstressed panel, breakers can become less reliable. Corrosion, heat damage, and wear over time can cause breakers to trip too late or not at all. That can allow wiring to overheat in walls or connections to smolder in the panel, which raises the risk of damage and in serious cases, fire.
Some older panel designs and brands have also developed poor track records over time, which is why home inspectors and insurance companies often flag them. These panels may use outdated bus bar and breaker designs that are more prone to loose connections or failed trips under fault conditions. Even if your particular panel has not failed, its design may not offer the same level of protection that modern equipment provides.
Why Columbus Homeowners Trust West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. For Electrical Panel Upgrades
Choosing who to trust with your electrical panel is just as important as deciding whether to upgrade in the first place. This is work that affects the safety and comfort of your entire home, and it needs to be done correctly. West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. has been serving West Jefferson, Columbus, and Central Ohio since 1976, carrying on a three generation family legacy built on craftsmanship and integrity.
Because we handle electrical, HVAC, and plumbing under one roof, we understand how your panel connects to the rest of your home’s comfort systems. When we size and install a new panel, we are thinking about your furnace, air conditioner, heat pump, water heater, and any other large loads, not just the box on the wall. Our licensed electricians and certified technicians take pride in doing the job right the first time, avoiding shortcuts that might cause headaches later.
Homeowners throughout Central Ohio often tell us they value our punctuality, clear communication, and the way we leave every workspace neat when we are finished. You are not routed through a call center if you reach out to us; you talk with real people who live and work in this community. With strong warranties on the products we install and a reputation for honest, upfront pricing, we aim to make a panel upgrade feel like a smart, well supported step, not a pressure filled decision.
If you are seeing signs your electrical panel may be struggling, or you are planning a project that will add new electrical demand, a professional evaluation can give you real answers. Our team at West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. is ready to take a close look at your panel, discuss your plans, and help you decide whether an upgrade is right for your Columbus home.