Overhead & Underground Service Upgrades & New Electrical Service

Electrical Service Upgrades

Many older homes are running on outdated electrical service and need to be upgraded to the modern standard, which is 200 amps. This not only makes the home safer, ensures it’s up to code, and eliminates frequent power loss occurrences, but it also helps to boost the home’s value.

Sure, you may have learned the tricks of getting by with an old circuit breaker and outdated electrical system…

Trick #1: Don’t use the high setting on your blow dryer if someone’s using an appliance in the kitchen.

But should you have to work your life around your electrical system? After all, electrical service is designed to make life easier and more convenient. You should air-dry your hair because you want to, not because you have to.

Investing in a service upgrade can eliminate headaches, frustrations, and hazards, and ensure your home is up to current codes and standards. Modern homes require more ampage and more circuits to run all of our devices and systems — including AC systems, computers, TVs, and high-powered appliances — which is why many homeowners are opting to upgrade their electrical service. Others may upgrade because their insurance company requires it.

Regardless of your motive, upgrading your electrical service to 200+ amps (the modern standard) can ensure you have the power you need to safely and conveniently run all of your electronics and appliances, without worrying about voltage drop-offs, blown fuses, overloaded circuits, electrocution, electrical fires, or other dangers.

Some Signs It’s Time To Upgrade

Is it time to upgrade your electrical service panel? Is your electrical panel a dangerous mess with large areas of the home grouped together on just a few fuses? Here are some signs it’s time to upgrade:

• Blowing fuses and tripping circuit breakers are regular occurrences in your home
• When you fire up an appliance or the AC kicks on, the lights in your home dim
• You have so few outlets in your home that you’ve stocked up on extension cords to accommodate your electrical needs
• Your circuit breakers panel is 30+ years old and/or in poor shape
• Your circuit breaker hisses
• Two-pronged outlets are the norm in your home
• You’re adding new appliances that will put a strain on your existing electrical system
• You’re adding new rooms to your home or finishing your basement
• Your electrical service wires outside are frayed or you can see exposed wire.
• Your meter socket is rusty and falling apart
• You have a Federal Pacific Electric panel.
  • These panels have the breakers with red handles. FPE lost its “UL” Listing (Underwriters Laboratory – which any electrical part we use is required to have) a long time ago due to faulty breakers not tripping when they should, letting current flow under dangerous circumstances. Unfortunately, Cape Cod has it’s fair share still in operation today.

Sound like you? Then it’s time for an upgrade.

What Does An Electrical Service Upgrade Include?

Electrical service upgrades can include the following:

• Removing the old, under-powered or damaged electrical service on your home’s exterior including the meter socket and electrical panel
• Upping the power that comes from the utility to your house by installing bigger feeders and service entrance conductors
• Installing a new meter socket and electrical panel with new breakers
• Replacing the grounding system
• Relocating the electric panel and/or meter socket if needed

Does The Entire Home Need To Be Rewired?

The good news is, when you have your service upgraded, you don’t have to invest in all new wiring. In fact, the wiring in your home will typically stay exactly as is. The upgrade simply replaces the old electrical system including the electrical panel that is used to deliver power to the home. In addition, it can up the power supply you have available from the utility company to power your home. 

Think of it this way: Power comes from your utility company, then to your electric service, and finally to your electric panel. The panel then sends the power to the wires as needed. The problem in this situation isn’t the wiring, but the amount of power coming to the home.

New Electrical Service

We also specialize in new underground services or converting from overhead to underground electrical service. This is the basic process:

• We trench from the utility pole (or transformer) at the street to the house.  
• We Install a new meter socket either on the house or on a pedestal away from the house for aesthetics
• Install conduit from the meter socket up the pole (or to transformer) and from meter socket to the house
• pull new wires through the conduit and make all electrical connections
• Install a new electrical panel usually in the basement
• Install a new grounding system
• Backfill the trench

Everything is done to meet national, state, and local codes and is inspected by the town electrical inspectors.

There are a few different wires involved in new electrical service, and if you ever watched McGuyver, you know that a simple mix-up of wiring can be incredibly dangerous. Leave this important service to the MA licensed Master & Journeyman Electricians at Soby One, so you don’t have to worry about anything being done improperly or unsafely. We follow code and we take our clients’ safety seriously.

Call Today For Service You Can Trust

Are you looking for a reliable expert to handle your service upgrade or new electrical service? Trust the licensed and insured team here at Soby One Home Services to do the job right. We’re MA Master & Journeyman Electricians, and we do everything by the book. No cutting corners, EVER.

We’ll coordinate and take care of everything — from obtaining the necessary permits and shutting off power to your home to testing and making sure everything is good to go before having power restored — so you can rest easy, knowing you’re in good hands.

To schedule an inspection and estimate, simply call 833-762-9663 or reach out to us here on our website. We’re happy to help Orleans and the neighboring communities enjoy safer, more convenient homes, Monday through Friday, 8AM to 5PM.

If you need wiring for a new addition, remodel or new construction, then you’re going to need the electrical experience of the professionals here at Soby One Home Services.