The most reliable way to ensure your electrical panel is safe and code-compliant is to have a licensed electrician perform a thorough inspection. Panels have a long service life but they are not maintenance-free — breakers wear out, connections loosen over time, wiring standards change, and some older panel brands have documented safety issues. An inspection catches problems early, before they become hazards or create failures at the worst possible moment.

Signs Your Panel May Have a Problem

Some warning signs are easy for homeowners to notice without opening the panel:

  • Breakers that trip frequently or that will not reset and hold
  • A burning smell, scorch marks, or discoloration around the panel or outlets
  • Flickering or dimming lights, especially when large appliances cycle on
  • Buzzing or crackling sounds from the panel
  • Warm panel door or cover
  • A panel that uses fuses rather than breakers (a sign of very old wiring)
  • A panel brand that has been flagged for safety concerns — Federal Pacific Electric (Stab-Lok) and Zinsco panels in particular have documented histories of breakers failing to trip under overload conditions

What an Electrician Checks During a Panel Inspection

A qualified electrician inspecting your panel will look at more than just whether the breakers are labeled correctly. They will check the condition of the bus bars and the connections at each breaker, look for signs of arcing or heat damage, verify that breaker amperage is appropriate for the wire gauge on each circuit, confirm that the panel is properly grounded and bonded, and check whether the service amperage (typically 100, 150, or 200 amps for residential service in the Denver area) is adequate for the home’s current load. They will also note whether the panel has room for additional circuits, which matters if you plan to add an EV charger, a hot tub, or a major appliance.

What “Up to Code” Actually Means

Electrical codes in Colorado are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC), which is updated on a three-year cycle. Local jurisdictions — Denver, Aurora, Jefferson County, and others — adopt the NEC with occasional local amendments. An older panel that was installed to the code at the time is not automatically illegal, but if you are doing a remodel or adding circuits, the new work must meet current code standards. An electrician can tell you which elements of your existing panel are grandfathered in and which would need to be brought up to current standards if you open up the work.

When Replacement Makes More Sense Than Repair

Some panels are candidates for outright replacement rather than repair. If your home has a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, replacement is the standard recommendation. If the panel is genuinely full with no room for new circuits and your home’s power needs have grown, a panel upgrade to 200-amp service makes sense. If the panel is showing significant corrosion, signs of past arcing, or physical damage, replacement is safer than attempting to repair individual components. An upgrade also gives you a modern panel with AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter) and GFCI protection built in where required by current code — an added safety benefit beyond just adding capacity.

Ongoing Panel Safety Between Inspections

Between professional inspections, there are simple habits that support panel safety. Do not ignore a breaker that trips repeatedly — it is telling you something about that circuit’s load. Never replace a breaker with one of higher amperage just to stop tripping; that defeats the protection the breaker provides. Keep the area around your panel clear and accessible. If you smell burning or see smoke near the panel, do not try to diagnose it yourself — turn off the main breaker if it is safe to do so and call an electrician immediately.

Done’s electricians serve homeowners across the Denver metro and Front Range. If you have any concerns about your panel or just want a professional second opinion, our panels and wiring page explains what we look for. For urgent situations, our emergency electricians are available when you cannot wait. You can also explore our full electrical services offering online.