Updating to circuit breakers

Whether it’s a high-powered air conditioner during the hot summer months, a big screen TV, a hevay duty washer and dryer, or multiple computers, we use more energy today than ever before.The problem is, not all homes are equipped for such a large quantity of energy.Circuit breaker panels and fuse boxes serve a similar purpose—to protect an overloaded electrical circuit by interrupting the flow of electricity—but they work differently.A fuse is made of a piece of metal that melts when overheated, interrupting the electrical flow.These outlets are self-grounding and are now required in all new kitchens, bathrooms, crawl spaces, unfinished basements and most outdoor receptacles.Other updates are more expensive and time-consuming.Standard electrical panels can provide 100, 150, 200 or 400 amps of power, and anything less is illegal.If your electrical needs exceed your amp capacity, your circuit breakers will trip whenever you attempt to power the appliance, leaving you without electricity, so be sure to upgrade to a higher amperage.

The minimum amps required in modern homes is 100, but a typical 2,000-square-foot home should have a 200-amp panel.If you live in a city like Boston, which has many older homes, your home might have the old-fashioned kind of electrical panel which uses fuses.If so, contact an electrician and have the electrical panel replaced with one that uses circuit breakers instead.Updating knob-and-tube wiring, for example, could cost ,000–,000 in a large home, says Marrow of NY Lite Design.Knob-and-tube wiring is not always hazardous, but the materials used—in particular, the rubber wire coverings—can become brittle over time, which can make electrical connections unreliable or, in some cases, can increase the chance of an electrical short or fire.