Whether you’re polishing the sliver or getting a haircut, all things can benefit from a brush-up. This also includes your electrical system. While your electrical panel may be working “fine,” it’s always best to consider a rejuvenation.

Panel rejuvenation is like an “oil change” for your electrical panel. Basically, an electrician takes an older panel and refreshes and refuels it to extend its life. Your electrical panel is your home’s lifeline, but it doesn’t last forever.

Over time, connections can come loose, breakers may run hotter than they should, or your system needs to comply with the newest National Electrical Codes (NEC), which update every three years.

Perhaps you have more than one wire attached to a breaker (otherwise known as a double-tapped breaker), which is illegal in most cases and dangerous under certain circumstances.

And while your system isn’t quite ready to be replaced, it could benefit from a tune-up, which will ultimately increase efficiency and help prevent power surges and hazards, like fires or electrocution.

“When you take the cover off the panel, the wires are in such disarray, it looks like a rat’s nest,” said Aaron Hagan, owner of Mister Sparky Northwest Arkansas, Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK, Kansas City, MO, and Phoenix, AZ. “I believe that the most important day in the life of a panel was the day it was installed. You can tell just by looking at it whether or not it was installed by a professional.”

Panel rejuvenation is preventative. Internal problems with your system could, down the line, lead to the necessity for costly electrical work.

What it entails: Often a panel rejuvenation will require an electrician to unhook all terminals, disconnect wires, perform a clean-up, and re-establish a fresh connection.

“We want to take that old panel and try to give it a do-over and hopefully extend its life,” said Aaron. “We will clean up any wires (the rat’s nest), replace all breakers, remake all connections, and clean and vacuum out the panel.”

Putting off small issues with your electrical system can easily turn into large problems overnight. Don’t wait for something bad and potentially expensive to happen, contact your local Mister Sparky and ask about panel rejuvenation. https://www.mistersparky.com/locations/#~e8L4U33