Panel upgrades and rewiring address different problems, though they sometimes go together. A panel upgrade is primarily about capacity — your existing panel cannot safely handle your home’s current or future electrical load. Rewiring addresses the condition of the wiring itself — the cables running through your walls, attic, and crawl space. Older homes may need one, the other, or both, and a licensed electrician’s inspection is the most reliable way to find out which situation applies to you.

Signs You May Need a Panel Upgrade

Panel upgrades are usually driven by capacity. The most common triggers in Denver-area homes include:

  • Your panel has 100-amp service and you want to add a high-draw circuit — EV charger, hot tub, heat pump, electric dryer, or electric range
  • Every breaker slot is occupied and you need to add circuits
  • Lights dim when large appliances cycle on, indicating the panel is near its capacity limit
  • Your home has a Federal Pacific Electric (Stab-Lok) or Zinsco panel — these brands have documented safety issues with breakers failing to trip under overload
  • You are doing a significant remodel that requires new circuits throughout the home

Signs You May Need Rewiring

Rewiring is about the wiring itself, not just the panel. Warning signs include:

Your home has aluminum branch-circuit wiring from the 1960s or 1970s. Aluminum wiring was used during a copper shortage and is not inherently dangerous if properly maintained, but its connections require specific materials and regular inspection — improperly maintained aluminum wiring has a documented association with fire risk. Two-prong (ungrounded) outlets throughout the home indicate wiring that predates the grounding requirement, which is worth evaluating. Knob-and-tube wiring in an older home (pre-1940s construction) is another signal — this wiring has no ground conductor and was not designed for modern electrical loads. Frequent breaker trips, outlets that do not work, or circuits that only serve one or two outlets when they should serve more can indicate wiring that has degraded or was never adequate. Burning smells from outlets or switches, or outlets that are warm to the touch, point to wiring problems that need immediate attention.

Colorado-Specific Context

Many Denver neighborhoods have significant housing stock from the 1950s through 1970s — a period that spans the introduction of aluminum wiring, the tail end of knob-and-tube in some homes, and the early days of modern panel configurations. If your home was built during this era and has had minimal electrical work done, a professional evaluation is worthwhile not because something is necessarily wrong, but because you want to know. Attic spaces in Colorado homes are also exposed to wide temperature swings and dry conditions that can affect wire insulation over decades — an inspector can assess wire condition in accessible spaces as part of a broader evaluation.

What a Full Electrical Inspection Covers

When Done’s electricians inspect a home for panel and wiring condition, we look at the panel itself — breaker condition, connection integrity, bus bar health, grounding and bonding, and whether the service amperage is adequate. We also check accessible wiring in the attic, basement, crawl space, and any exposed areas. We test outlets for proper grounding and polarity. We note the presence of two-prong outlets, aluminum wiring, or older wiring types. And we check whether AFCI and GFCI protection is in place where current code requires it. You get a complete picture of what is working, what needs attention now, and what could be planned for future work.

Partial Rewires vs. Full Rewires

Full home rewiring — replacing all branch-circuit wiring throughout the home — is a significant project that is most practical when combined with a remodel that opens up walls anyway. In many cases, a partial rewire or targeted improvements address the actual problem at lower cost: replacing a section of aluminum wiring, adding grounded circuits to key areas, or updating wiring in a kitchen or bathroom being remodeled. Done can recommend the scope that makes sense for your home’s specific situation rather than defaulting to the most extensive option.

If you are unsure about your home’s panel or wiring condition, Done’s electricians can assess it and give you straightforward answers. Start with our panels and wiring page, or explore all of our electrical services online. For anything that feels urgent, our emergency electricians are available when you need immediate help.