The Ultimate Guide to Electrical Panel Maintenance: Why It's Crucial?

​Introduction:
It's 2024. Your electrical panel is the heart of your home's electrical system, ensuring that power is distributed safely and efficiently throughout your property. Regular maintenance of your electrical panel is crucial to prevent electrical hazards and ensure the smooth functioning of your electrical system. In this blog post, we will delve into the importance of electrical panel maintenance, the significance of having this maintenance performed by certified professional electricians, and how California Inspection Authority, INC. can assist you in keeping your electrical panel in top condition.

Importance of Electrical Panel Maintenance:
Your electrical panel is responsible for regulating the flow of electricity in your home, protecting your electrical system from overloads and short circuits. Regular maintenance of your electrical panel is essential to identify and address potential issues before they escalate into serious safety hazards. 
​By scheduling routine maintenance, you can ensure the safety of your home, prevent electrical fires, and extend the lifespan of your electrical panel.

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Warning!

Working on an electrical panel without proper training and or education can be hazardous and can lead to electrocution and even death. This is not meant to be an educational tutorial but an outline as to the steps that an expert would take in order to perform electrical panel maintenance on a residential electrical panel. 

Ensure that you are qualified to perform the maintenance. If you have not been adequately, trained, or educated on the hazards of electrocution. Consult with an expert.

• Evaluate the exterior of the electrical panel. Look for any signs of rust, corrosion or damage. Make note of any issues and address any conditions as needed by lightly sanding, priming, and painting the panel. This will prolong the serviceable life of the exterior cabinet components.

• Listen carefully. Before touching or opening the electrical panel cover listen for any signs of arcing or buzzing that may indicate conditions that may be extremely hazardous. If these conditions exist consult with an electrician immediately. Use a voltage tester or Tic-tracer to identify any stray voltage that may be present on the panel cabinet. You do not want to be caught between a live electrical panel cabinet and ground.

Voltage Tic-tracer
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• If you have access to a thermal imaging gun or infrared gun now would be a good time to scan the electrical panel for any signs of heat or potential overloads. Make note of any conditions for further evaluation or repair. 

Thermal Imaging Gun
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• Observe the panel for any signs of insects or rodents, dust and debris. Make note of any observations so you can have a game plan for cleaning and removal of such items.
• Evaluate all wire terminations for any signs of heat. Heat can be brought on by overload currents and or loose terminations and sometimes by failing circuit breakers. At times, heat can also be brought on by circuit breakers that are not firmly attached at the buss bars. Make note of any circuits that may have any adverse conditions. Consult with an electrician as needed for any repairs.
• All panels should have a nameplate or label that identifies the manufacturer and torque specifications. If your label is missing, you might be able to find this information online. Additionally, circuit breakers will also have their torque specifications embossed or printed on the breaker themselves.
• Most of the hardware inside the electrical panel will need to be torqued to manufacturer guidelines. These torque specifications are normally in inch pounds. It is important that any torque wrenches or screwdrivers used to perform your panel maintenance be insulated and rated for use within electrical panels. It is important to know that your tools have been properly calibrated and have settings within the tolerances outlined by the manufacturer and or circuit breakers.

• ​Before shutting off the power to the panel. The branch circuit breakers should be turned off one by one. Once all the branch circuit breakers have been turned off, now would be the time to shut off the main breaker and verify that there is no current flowing to the branch circuits in the panel by using a voltage tester. Warning, even though the main breaker is off, there will still be power at the buss bars and on the incoming side of the main breaker.”
• Also If you have solar its advisable to shut down the solar array at the solar disconnecting means.
• If It is safe, now would be the time to carefully remove the dead front cover. The dead front cover is held on by one or more screws. Place the screws in a safe location so that they can be reinstalled once you have completed your panel maintenance.

​Insulated Torque Wrenches or Screwdrivers
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• Proceeded to check the torque at each of the branch circuits first. Tightening as needed. If any of the branch circuits have been over tightened to begin with. You may need to remove the wire from the breaker, cut back approximately half inch. Strip the wire with an approved wire stripper for that gauge of wire and reinsert the wire into the circuit breaker and torque to manufacturer guidelines. Use a paint pen to mark all hardware. This will also help to identify any loose hardware in the future.
• Once all the wires have been torqued to manufacturers guidelines. You can turn your focus to cleaning out any dust or debris that was previously identified in the panel.
• Most professionals will use a small nonconductive air duster or compressed air to remove dust and debris from the panel.  A nonconductive duster may also be needed to remove cobwebs from the panel components.

Power Dry Air Duster
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• If your home is equipped with an ​SPD Device.  Or whole house serge suppressor. Now is the time you want to make sure the indicator lights are on and working.
• Now that your panel maintenance has been done, now it’s time to reestablish power at the electrical panel. Turning on the main breaker, while looking away from the panel is regarded as a safety measure. Once the main breaker has been turned on, it is time to turn on the branch circuit breakers one at a time.
• If equipped be sure to test arc-fault, GFCI and dual function breakers to ensure they are functioning correctly.
• As a final step, use a voltage tester to check voltage at all of the branch circuits.
• Verify that all of the panel labeling is correct and make any needed corrections.

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​California Inspection Authority, INC. - Your Trusted Partner in Electrical Panel Maintenance:
California Inspection Authority, INC. is a leading provider of professional electrical panel inspection services. We specialize in assessing the condition of electrical panels, identifying potential issues, and making maintenance recommendations based on our comprehensive assessment. With our expertise and commitment to safety, we can help you ensure that your electrical panel is in optimal condition and functioning efficiently.

Conclusion:
Regular maintenance of your electrical panel is essential to safeguard your home against electrical hazards and ensure the reliable operation of your electrical system. By having your electrical panel inspected and maintained by certified professional electricians, such as California Inspection Authority, INC., you can protect your home, enhance safety, and prolong the lifespan of your electrical panel. Don't wait until a problem arises – schedule a professional electrical panel inspection today and enjoy peace of mind knowing that your electrical system is in top condition.


David Salvato
California Inspection Authority INC.
1-949-981-8320 www.ciahomeinspection.com
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