I had an electrician come out to my home and tell me that my house will burn down if I don’t upgrade my panel ASAP! Is that true?
There are a lot of myths and scare tactics used to up-sell customers into costly repairs and upgrades, many of which may not be necessary. One of the most controversial opinions that we see competitors leverage regularly is the safety risk of the Federal Pacific Electric Panel (FPE).
There are a lot of myths and scare tactics used to up-sell customers into costly repairs and upgrades, many of which may not be necessary. One of the most controversial opinions that we see competitors leverage regularly is the safety risk of the Federal Pacific Electric Panel (FPE).
Historically, FPE Panels have malfunctioned in ways that pose serious fire and safety hazards, to the point where the company has been involved in a class-action lawsuit regarding its safety standards. However, the official stance of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is inconclusive. During their investigation of the issue, they were unable to find sufficient data to support or refute the safety claims being made about these types of panels and no official safety recall has ever been issued. Many electricians have a blanket policy of recommending the immediate replacement of all FPE panels, often making emotionally-charged claims such as “your family is in danger if you don’t replace this right away”. Ultimately, non-FPE panels can pose similar safety concerns if they are not installed or maintained properly and there are countless FPE panels that have withstood the test of time and continue to provide safe and reliable service. Rather than associate safety (or lack thereof) with particular brands of panels, customers should have panels inspected and replaced/upgraded based on indicating factors, rather than the name stamped on it. A few good reasons to get your panel inspected or upgraded include:
- You are selling or buying a home
- Your insurance company requires it
- You are adding a major upgrade to your home like a hot tub, electric vehicle charger, A/C unit, etc.
- You are experiencing continuous electrical problems (you should never see, smell, or hear electricity!)
Our recommendation: Before deciding to upgrade or replace your panel, consider getting multiple bids and perspectives from reputable, licensed electricians.
Check out our youtube channel for more information: https://youtu.be/MwiP_gdrX8A
