Does your electrical panel need an upgrade, or just a look?

Chosen when: What have you noticed: A warm panel, a warm outlet or a burning smell

Consumers Energy's home safety page says to call an electrician if an outlet feels warm, fuses blow often or lights flicker. A warm panel or a burning smell is further along than that. Smoke, flames or a strong smell mean you leave the house and call 911 before anything else. Otherwise, switch off the circuit you suspect, leave it off, and ask for an emergency visit. Do not open the panel yourself.

Try first: Leave the suspect circuit off and keep people away from the panel.

Stop and call someone if: You see smoke, flames or sparks. Leave and call 911.

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Chosen when: How big is the main breaker or main fuse: 60 A

Consumers Energy says that if you have an older 60-amp service and meter socket and you are upgrading, you should install a new meter socket, and that a minimum of 100 amp service and socket are required. That is Consumers' rule for its territory; DTE has its own requirements and its Modify Service page says upgraded residential connections are installed underground at the customer's expense. Either way the work has a utility part and an electrical part. A permit reads as required, because the exemption list names only small jobs such as replacing receptacles and switches, and the enforcing agency must approve the service equipment before the utility energizes it; your city's electrical office can confirm.

Try first: Photograph the closed panel with the label readable, and write down which utility sends your bill.

Stop and call someone if: A breaker or outlet is warm. Use the first verdict instead.

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Chosen when: What have you noticed: Breakers trip or fuses blow often · or · What have you noticed: Lights flicker when something big starts

Consumers Energy tells its customers to call an electrician about breakers that trip often, fuses that blow often and lights that flicker when something big starts. None of that proves the panel needs replacing, since the cause may be one circuit, a loose connection or the load. Ask for a written finding that names the cause, with a yes or no on an upgrade and the reason for it.

Try first: Reset a tripped breaker once, then write down which one it was and what was running.

Stop and call someone if: The breaker will not stay on, or anything is warm or smells of burning.

Emergency electrician · Signs your Michigan home may need an electrical panel upgrade

Chosen when: Are you adding anything big: An EV charger · or · Are you adding anything big: A heat pump, an addition or another large new load

The Department of Energy's charging page says EV charging is a continuous load under the National Electrical Code, and Michigan has used the 2023 edition since March 12, 2024. Whether your panel has room for a charger, a heat pump or an addition is a calculation the electrician does under that code. The calculation belongs to the electrician, so this tool does not attempt it. The EV charger planner does a simple subtraction from numbers you give it and states that it is not a code calculation.

Try first: Look up the nameplate amps of your range, dryer, water heater and air conditioner.

Stop and call someone if: Anyone suggests skipping the permit. A new circuit is an addition.

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Chosen when: What does the label on the panel say: Federal Pacific or Zinsco

We found no Michigan or federal primary source that rates panel brands, so we will not tell you what a name on a label means. Instead, send the company a photo of the label when it calls and ask the electrician to say in writing whether they would replace the panel and why. A replacement should come with the permit and the inspection written into the quote.

Try first: Photograph the label and the whole panel with the cover on.

Stop and call someone if: Anything is warm or smells of burning. Use the first verdict.

Panel upgrade · Signs your Michigan home may need an electrical panel upgrade

Chosen when: What does the label on the panel say: Fuses, no breakers

Consumers Energy's advice is to call an electrician if fuses blow often, so that is the test to use, and the decision to replace a fuse panel is the electrician's to explain. Ask what the panel serves, whether any circuit is overloaded and whether they recommend a change, with the reasons on paper.

Try first: Note which fuse blows and what was running when it did.

Stop and call someone if: A fuse blows again right after you replace it. Stop and call.

Panel upgrade · Signs your Michigan home may need an electrical panel upgrade

Chosen when: Any other answers

None of the signs we can source showed up in your answers: no warm panel, no repeated trips, no flicker, no 60-amp service and no big load planned. That is not a clean bill of health, since the tool cannot see the wiring. For a real answer, book an electrical inspection and keep the written findings.

Try first: Photograph the panel label and the breakers now, while nothing is wrong.

Stop and call someone if: Something changes. Run the check again.

Electrical inspection · Signs your Michigan home may need an electrical panel upgrade