How to Electrify Your Home Without Upsizing Your Electrical Panel

Electrifying your home has many benefits—a healthier home with better air quality, reducing carbon emissions, and often lower energy bills. Many homeowners in older houses assume that upgrading to a 200 amps panel is required before installing new electric appliances, but it is often unnecessary. Most homes can fully electrify without a panel upgrade by choosing efficient appliances and using smart electrical load-management strategies. Panel upgrades can be costly and time consuming. Fortunately, with proper planning and modern technology, you can avoid replacement entirely.

The City of Palo Alto has partnered with QuitCarbon to offer free phone consultations with Electrification Experts, who can save you money and time. Sign up at: QuitCarbon.com/PaloAlto.

How QuitCarbon Works

Step 1.Step One

Answer a few questions to generate a personalized Home Electrification Plan.

Step 2.Step Two

Schedule a phone consultation, where an Electrification Expert will:

  • Evaluate your home’s total electrical usage
  • Review options to meet your electrification goals without upgrading your electrical panel
  • Confirm that your peak energy usage, plus new electric appliances, are within your panel capacity.
  • Support you in reviewing contractor bids and best practices.

For most homes, a panel upgrade is unnecessary to fully electrify the home.

Safety First!

Electrical panels that have been recalled for safety reasons need to be replaced! Certain older panels like Federal Pacific Electric and Zinsco, as well as other brands with certain recalled models such as Challenger, Pushmatic, and Schneider Electric, can create a fire or shock hazard. These should be replaced or evaluated by a licensed electrician. Consult with your electrician to make sure your home’s electrical panel is safe before proceeding with any home electrification projects.

Tips to Avoid a Panel Upgrade

Seal and Insulate

Improving your home’s insulation and air sealing are two of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy use, lower utility bills, and improve comfort in your home.

Choose Energy Efficient Appliances

Modern electric appliances use significantly less electricity than older models. Benefits include lower panel capacity requirements and reduced operating costs. Energy-efficient choices include heat pump water heaters, heat pump HVAC systems, induction cooktops, and high-efficiency dryers.

Space-saving Circuit Breakers and Subpanel

If your current panel is short on breaker space, tandem circuit breakers can replace certain single-pole breakers to create two circuits in a space previously occupied by one. Alternatively, an electrical subpanel can be added to provide additional circuit capacity without upsizing the main panel. A licensed electrician must confirm that any upgrades are compatible with your panel and installed safely.

Circuit-sharing Devices and Smart Breakers

Circuit-sharing technologies allow two appliances to use the same circuit when only one operates at a time. For example, an EV charger can be paused while the clothes dryer runs. Smart breakers provide real time circuit monitoring, WiFi-enabled control, integration with smart home systems, and the ability to prevent overloads automatically. Consult your electrician.

Smart Panels and Energy Demand Management Devices

Smart panels are internet-enabled systems that monitor real-time power consumption, prioritize loads to prevent exceeding panel capacity, and allow setting appliance priorities. Additional demand management devices can achieve the same goals at a lower cost.

Electrifying your home does not necessarily require an electrical panel upgrade. By selecting efficient electric appliances, planning thoughtfully, and using modern energy-management technologies, most homes can transition to full electrification safely, affordably, and without upsizing the panel.

For information on building permit requirements, please contact the City of Palo Alto Building Department at (650) 329-2496.

Electrical Panel Circuit Sharing Schematic

This schematic illustrates examples of how an electrical panel can support circuit-sharing opportunities when electrifying a home.

Electric Panel Circuit

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