Service Upgrades & Panel Replacements
The Heart of Your Home's Electrical System
Your electrical panel — also called the breaker box or load center — is the central hub that distributes power throughout your home. If it's undersized, outdated, or simply worn out, it can prevent you from adding circuits, cause nuisance trips, or in the worst cases, create a fire hazard. Charm City Electric specializes in service upgrades and panel replacements for homes across Baltimore.
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Signs You Need an Upgrade
Frequent breaker trips, lights that dim when appliances turn on, a panel that's warm to the touch, a fuse box instead of breakers, or a service rated at 60 or 100 amps — any of these are signs it's time for an upgrade. Additionally, if you're planning major additions, an EV charger, a hot tub, or other high-demand equipment, your existing service may simply not have the capacity.
The Heavy-Up Process
In Baltimore, a service upgrade is commonly called a 'heavy-up.' The process involves replacing your existing meter base and panel with new equipment rated for 200 amps (or 400 amps for larger homes), coordinating with BGE for the utility-side disconnect, and pulling all required permits. The job typically takes one day, and BGE service is restored the same day in most cases.
Panel Brands and Safety
Not all panels are created equal. We replace recalled and problematic brands — including Federal Pacific (Stab-Lok) and Zinsco panels — which have well-documented safety issues including failure to trip under fault conditions. We install modern, UL-listed panels from reputable manufacturers including Square D, Eaton, and Siemens.
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Contact us today for a free estimate on your service upgrades & panel replacements project.