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Electrical questions, answered by experts

Upgrading your electrical panel is often worth the cost for safety, improved electrical performance, and potential long-term savings. A primary benefit is preventing electrical fires and other hazards from a malfunctioning panel, ensuring your household's safety. An upgraded panel also provides a steady flow of electricity, eliminating issues like flickering lights and frequently tripped breakers. It allows you to connect additional appliances without overloading the system, which is especially beneficial for older homes with 100-amp service that are prone to overheating. If you run large appliances like central air conditioning, heating systems, hot tubs, or saunas, you might consider upgrading to a 300- or 400-amp service to meet the higher electrical demand. Furthermore, an upgrade can lead to long-term savings on energy bills and potentially lower insurance costs.

Call your utility company immediately. Do not go outside, even in your own yard, and keep pets indoors. Downed power lines pose a serious electrocution hazard. They can also cause large power surges that could damage your appliances, so it’s a good idea to shut down power to your home if possible. If your breakers trip, leave them off until the utility company finishes its repair work.

How far you can run underground electric depends on the wire gauge (generally AWG) and the circuit voltage. Too much voltage drop in an electrical circuit can negatively affect performance, so the smaller the voltage drop, the better. Ideally, it shouldn't exceed 3%. The smaller the wire and the longer the run, the more significant the voltage drop. 

For example, with a 120-volt circuit, you can run 60 feet of 12 AWG cable without losing more than 3% voltage. With a 240-volt circuit, you can run 120 feet of 12 AWG wire while maintaining a voltage drop of 3% or less.

Durations range from an hour for simple jobs to full workdays for significant upgrades.

Yes, you can put a GFCI outlet in almost any electrical outlet location. As long as the outlet is wired correctly back to a circuit breaker, you can likely replace the existing outlet with a GFCI outlet.

The Illiopolis, IL homeowners’ guide to electrical services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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