The fuse box or fuse panel was standard in homes for many decades. The fuses separated the different circuits for the house, and in case of a voltage overload, a fuse would burn out and cut off the electrical flow to its circuit.
However, the fuse box is out of date—and has been for some time. Electrical panels that use circuit breakers have replaced them. Circuit breakers trip due to voltage spikes rather than burn out, and they can be reset afterward rather than having to put in a new fuse.
If your home still has a fuse box, you might think that it isn’t that major of a problem and you can get by with the occasional inconvenience. We don’t recommend this course, for several reasons. We’ll explain why scheduling a professional fuse box replacement in Buffalo, NY is the best choice for your home—and one to have done as soon as you can.
Reason #1: Fuse boxes can create safety hazards
If your house has a fuse box, it’s probably more than 50 years old at this point, which is far past when it should’ve been replaced. Electrical current places wear on any electrical panel, which creates a greater danger of electrical fires occurring. Fuse boxes also lack some of the basic safety protections present in modern breaker boxes, such as AFCI protection that stops arcing faults (electrical current jumping from one circuit to another).
Reason #2: Fuse boxes can’t keep up with current electrical use
The amount of electricity used in modern homes has increased greatly since the days when fuse boxes were the standard. To deal with higher electrical loads, fuse boxes need larger and larger fuses. These bigger fuses make electrical fires more likely and will also lead to inconsistent electrical performance for the house.
Reason #3: Changing fuses is a hassle
Electrical panels with breaker boxes make life much easier whenever a breaker trips. You only have to go to the panel and reset the breaker switch. When a fuse blows, you have to manually replace it. As a plus, breaker panels are much smaller than fuse boxes and can handle additional circuits, so you can divide up the house into more circuits drawing on less power.
Reason #4: Replacing a fuse box can lower your insurance premiums
Because fuse boxes come with higher risk, they elevate homeowner’s insurance premiums. When you make the upgrade, you could end up saving hundreds of dollars each year off those premiums. The electrical panel will also raise the value of your home if you’re planning to sell it in the future.
Call Us to Replace Your Fuse Box
Our licensed electricians specialize in making electrical panel upgrades for our customers. If you have a fuse box, we’ll see that the replacement job is done fast and accurately. We prioritize your safety and the performance of your home, and we offer a service panel unlimited lifetime warranty and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Scherer Electric Is Western New York’s Favorite Electrician! Call us for electrical panel service to upgrade your home.
