Done’s licensed electricians handle the full range of electrical panel services: safety inspections, breaker replacement, panel upgrades, full service-entrance upgrades, and subpanel installation. Whether your panel is tripping breakers, showing signs of age, or simply can’t handle a new EV charger or home addition, the right fix depends on what’s actually happening inside the box — and that starts with a proper assessment.

Panel Inspections and Diagnostics

Many homeowners don’t look inside their panel until something goes wrong. Done’s electricians inspect the panel for signs of overheating, double-tapped breakers (two wires on one breaker terminal — a common code violation), undersized wiring, corrosion, and signs of moisture intrusion. Front Range homes deal with temperature extremes and occasional moisture from snow melt, and older panels in Denver’s established neighborhoods can show wear that isn’t visible without removing the cover.

A panel that feels warm to the touch, shows scorch marks, or trips breakers under ordinary loads needs prompt attention — these are signs the panel is working harder than it should.

Breaker Replacement

Individual breakers wear out. A breaker that trips repeatedly under normal load, won’t reset, or feels loose in its slot needs replacement. Done stocks standard single-pole and double-pole breakers as well as AFCI (arc-fault circuit interrupter) and GFCI breakers required by current NEC code for bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas. Replacing the right breaker with a properly rated unit is a straightforward repair that restores reliable protection to that circuit.

Panel Upgrades: 100-Amp to 200-Amp Service

This is the most common panel service Done performs for Denver-area homeowners. Homes built in the 1960s through 1980s often have 100-amp panels — adequate for the loads of that era but strained by today’s combination of EV chargers, central air conditioning, electric ranges, and home offices. Upgrading to 200-amp service involves:

  • Coordinating a utility disconnect with Xcel Energy
  • Replacing the meter base, service entrance cable, and main panel
  • Installing a new panel with properly rated breakers for every circuit
  • Pulling the required permit and scheduling inspection
  • Updating grounding and bonding to current code

The job typically takes one full day and requires a brief power outage while the utility disconnects and reconnects service at the meter.

Subpanel Installation

When a garage, workshop, addition, or accessory dwelling unit needs its own circuits but the main panel is too far away to run individual circuits cost-effectively, a subpanel is the solution. Done installs subpanels fed from the main panel, sized appropriately for the intended loads. This is also common when a detached garage is converted to living space or an ADU — Denver’s housing density has driven significant growth in this type of work.

Hazardous Panel Replacement

Certain older panel brands have documented failure histories that make them fire hazards regardless of age or apparent condition. If your home has a Federal Pacific Electric (Stab-Lok) or Zinsco panel, Done’s electricians will discuss replacement options with you. These panels were manufactured with breakers that often fail to trip during overloads — the core function of a breaker. Insurance carriers sometimes flag these panels as well, which can affect your homeowner’s policy.

For a professional assessment of your panel’s current condition and capacity, explore Done’s panel and wiring services. If you’re planning a larger project like an EV charger or home addition, our installation and remodel team can coordinate both the panel work and the downstream circuits in one project.