The electrical panel, or your circuit breaker, is the heart of your home’s electricity flow. Circuits and wires carry electricity throughout the home like veins and arteries carry blood to organs and limbs, but they need the electrical panel to push the energy.
There are two brands that we want to alert you about because they experience very serious electrical panel problems and must be replaced:
Zinsco Electrical Panel
As homes have increased energy demands, the electrical panels of yore may not be able to withstand the power and could overheat. Zinsco panels were produced up until the 1970s, and it’s likely that homes in this area have one. Overheated electrical panels have portions of them melt, which leaves the wiring exposed and redirected. This is a serious fire hazard.
Today, Zinsco electrical panels don’t meet today’s updated safety codes. There are certain design flaws that can cause malfunction and fires, in addition to the panel’s inability to withstand today’s typical electrical burden.
Federal Pacific Electrical Panel
The Federal Pacific Electric Company (FPE) was one of the most common manufacturers of circuit breaker panels in North America between the 1950s and 1980s. Experts agree that while FPE panels can appear to work fine for years, one overcurrent or short circuit can cause the appliance to overheat and become a fire hazard.
When a breaker fails, an extreme amount of power from the outside electrical supply surges into a home’s panel and circuits. It cannot be stopped or shut off manually. Electricity will burn until it runs out of fuel or the wires melt. The panel could overheat and catch fire, causing serious harm to a home and its occupants.
