Do I need to replace my electrical panel?
You should consider panel replacement if any of the following apply to your Brooklyn, Queens, or Manhattan home:
Your panel brand is Federal Pacific (FPE Stab-Lok), Zinsco, Sylvania Zinsco, or Pushmatic. These panel brands have documented failure rates and are flagged by insurance carriers including State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers. Many insurance carriers will not renew coverage until these panels are replaced.
Your service is 60-amp or 100-amp in a home built before 1980. Modern homes with central air, EV chargers, electric ovens, and smart home equipment require 200-amp service minimum. A service upgrade to 200-amp or 400-amp requires Con Edison coordination, which we handle on your behalf.
Your panel is over 30 years old. Panel connections loosen over time, bus bars corrode, and breakers lose calibration. Even panels that appear functional can be operating below safe tolerances.
You’re selling your home and a buyer’s inspector flagged the panel. We turn around panel replacement quotes within 48 hours for real estate transactions — critical when you’re trying to close on time.
You’re buying a home and want documentation of panel condition before closing. A proper panel inspection identifies hidden code violations and service capacity issues that can cost $10,000+ to remediate after closing.
Warning signs your panel needs immediate replacement:
Homes over 20 years old often still operate at 60-amp or 100-amp service. Modern NYC homes with central A/C, EV chargers, electric range, and multiple major appliances need 200-amp service minimum — and many pre-war brownstones benefit from 400-amp service. If your panel is undersized, your breakers will trip constantly and you cannot safely add new loads.
Heat – When you touch the panel and it is warm under your hands, it is a sign of overload or improper installation.
Strange Odor – If it smells like burning, it could be a sign that the wire is not properly connected or something else.
Frequent Firing – If it constantly fires, it must be replaced at this stage.
Flickering Lights – If your light flickers most of the time, especially when using other devices, this could be a sign of some loosening of the connection.
Adding new appliances, central A/C, or an EV charger? Your panel must handle the new load. Before installing a heat pump, electric vehicle charger, induction range, or finishing a basement, we perform a load calculation to confirm your existing service and panel can handle the new equipment safely. If it can’t, we upgrade the service and panel as part of the same project.
Who should replace an electrical panel?
Panel replacement is not a DIY job. It requires working with live utility power, obtaining NYC DOB permits, coordinating with Con Edison for service cutover, and passing a city inspection. Only a NYC-licensed master electrician should perform this work. Asset Electric Corp is licensed (NYC #13207), bonded, and fully insured, with 22 years of master electrician experience in NYC pre-war housing.
