Do You Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade in Hartford CT? 7 Signs Your Home Needs More Power

You need an electrical panel upgrade in Hartford, CT when your current panel can no longer safely deliver the power your home demands. This shows up as frequent breaker trips, flickering lights, a panel that's too old or too small, or new appliances you can't run without tripping a circuit.

If any of that sounds familiar, your panel isn't just annoying you. It's telling you something.

Many homes across Hartford, West Hartford, East Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington were built with 60-amp or 100-amp electrical service. That was fine for a 1970s household. It's not enough for a home running central air, an electric range, a home office, and an EV charger at the same time.

Here are the 7 signs that mean it's time to call a licensed electrician.

1. Breakers Trip Frequently — and Won't Reset

A circuit breaker is designed to trip when it senses an overload. Occasional trips are normal. Breakers that trip repeatedly, or won't reset at all, mean the panel is being pushed past its rated capacity.

In older Hartford homes, this often happens when a kitchen, laundry room, or home office was added without upgrading the panel to match the new load. The fix isn't unplugging the microwave every time you run the dryer. It's giving the panel enough amperage to handle both.

2. Lights Dim or Flicker When Appliances Turn On

If your lights dim when the refrigerator compressor kicks on or the AC starts up, the panel is struggling to distribute power evenly across circuits. This is a classic symptom of an undersized or aging service.

Flickering that's isolated to one fixture usually points to a bad connection at that fixture. Flickering that happens house-wide when large appliances start almost always points back to the panel itself.

3. Your Panel Is a Fuse Box, or More Than 25 Years Old

Fuse boxes were phased out of new construction decades ago because circuit breakers are safer, faster to reset, and easier to size correctly. If your Hartford-area home still has fuses, insurance companies increasingly flag this during underwriting.

Even breaker panels wear out. The average electrical panel lasts 25 to 40 years. Components like bus bars and breaker connections corrode and loosen with age, even if the panel looks fine from the outside.

4. You Have a Federal Pacific or Zinsco Panel

Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) and Zinsco panels were common in New England homes built before the 1980s. Both brands have documented histories of breakers that fail to trip during an overload, which is the exact scenario a breaker exists to prevent.

Most Connecticut electricians recommend replacing these panels outright rather than repairing them, and many home insurers require it before issuing or renewing a policy.

5. You're Adding an EV Charger, Generator, or Heat Pump

Electric vehicles, standby generators, heat pumps, and induction ranges all draw significantly more power than the appliances a 100-amp panel was originally designed around. A Level 2 EV charger alone can require a dedicated 40 to 60-amp circuit.

Stacking two or three of these upgrades onto an old panel isn't just a code problem. It's a capacity problem. A 200-amp panel upgrade gives Hartford homeowners the headroom to add these systems without overloading the existing service.

6. The Panel Feels Warm, Buzzes, or Smells Like Burning

Heat, buzzing sounds, or a burning odor near your panel are not warning signs to monitor — they are reasons to shut off power and call an electrician immediately. These symptoms point to loose connections, overloaded circuits, or failing components that can lead to an electrical fire.

Discoloration, scorch marks, or rust inside the panel cover point to the same underlying issue: components that are no longer operating within a safe range.

7. You're Renovating, Adding an Addition, or Selling Your Home

Kitchen remodels, basement finishes, and home additions almost always add circuits. A panel that's already full, or close to it, can't accommodate new breakers without an upgrade.

Home sales bring their own pressure. Buyers' inspectors routinely flag outdated panels, FPE or Zinsco equipment, and fuse boxes, which can slow a sale or become a negotiating point. Upgrading ahead of a listing avoids that entirely.

What Happens During an Electrical Panel Upgrade

A licensed Hartford electrician starts with a load calculation to confirm how much amperage your home actually needs — typically 150 or 200 amps for most single-family homes. The town permit is pulled, and if the service itself needs to be upgraded, the work is coordinated with Eversource for the utility connection.

On the day of the swap, power is shut off, the old panel is removed, and the new panel is installed, grounded, bonded, and labeled. A final inspection confirms everything meets current Connecticut electrical code before the job is closed out.

If you're weighing whether this is worth the investment, our companion guide on Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost in Hartford CT breaks down real 2026 pricing by amperage.

Why Hartford Homeowners Choose PEC Electrical

PEC Electrical is a licensed and insured electrical contractor serving Hartford and the surrounding Connecticut towns. Our team handles panel assessments, permitting, and full panel replacements from start to finish, so you're not managing the utility company or the town inspector on your own.

If you recognized even one of these signs in your own home, it's worth having a professional take a look before a minor issue becomes an expensive one. Explore our electrical services or get in touch with our team to schedule an assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my electrical panel needs to be upgraded? 

Watch for frequent breaker trips, flickering lights, a panel older than 25 years, fuse boxes, or plans to add an EV charger, generator, or major appliance. Any one of these is a reason to have a licensed electrician inspect your panel.

Is it dangerous to keep using an old electrical panel? 

Yes, if it shows signs like burning smells, buzzing, warm panel covers, or breakers that don't trip properly. These indicate components that are no longer functioning safely and increase fire risk.

How long does an electrical panel upgrade take in Hartford CT? 

Most residential panel upgrades are completed in a single day, with power off for roughly 6 to 10 hours. More complex service upgrades involving the meter or utility connection can take longer.

Do I need a permit to upgrade my electrical panel in Connecticut? 

Yes. Every Connecticut town requires a permit and inspection for panel work. A licensed electrician handles this as part of the project.

What size panel do most Hartford homes need? 

Most single-family homes in the Hartford area are upgraded from 100 amps to 200 amps, which provides enough capacity for central air, modern appliances, and future additions like EV chargers.