Redford Electric has been providing electrical service upgrades and service panel installations for the residents of Lower Mainland Vancouver, for over 25 years. We are up to date with all BC Hydro requirements (which have changed greatly over the past few years).
Electrical panel installations in Vancouver are required to be installed by an Electrical Contractor according to Electrical Safety Codes. Due to the enhanced electrical dangers, the Electrical Safety Authorities have ruled that this type of work must be installed correctly and according to BC Hydro requirements, as well as the Canadian Electrical Codes.
As well the Canadian Electrical Codes have many requirements that must be adhered before BC Hydro will consider upgrading your electrical service. Electrical Permits must be applied for and inspections from municipal inspectors are required before BC Hydro will consider arriving to upgrade the electrical service to your home or business. BC Hydro and the Electrical Inspector must be contacted prior to any electrical work being completed regarding an electrical upgrade, as they have the final say as to where the new electrical service panel will need to be located (this may have changed since the original electrical service was installed).
When it comes to your home, don’t compromise on safety!
Call Redford Electric and have your electrical panel system inspected by one of our highly qualified technicians. We can help determine if the outdated fuse panel or older electrical panel needs to be replaced with a modern circuit breaker panel.
Your home or business may be in need of a service panel upgrade if:
Your home has an old-style fuse panel, expired breakers (old) or not enough breakers (most insurance companies are asking for a minimum 100Amp Electrical Service prior to insuring an older home). Many older homes throughout the Lower Mainland have only a 60 Amp electrical service installed. This was an acceptable size at the time but certainly not large enough for today’s requirements. The minimum for today’s standards are 100Amp and an electrical service upgrade typically will be from 100Amp to 200Amp. To do an upgrade to 125 Amps or 150Amps is very close to the same cost of a 200Amp service upgrade, so typically we go with a 200Amp upgrade.
If your circuits are overloaded, in many cases the original electrical service panel has few actual spaces available for extra breakers and to save money we constantly find that instead of upgrading or changing out the old electrical panel to one that has more available circuits, homeowners install new wiring ( circuits ) to the existing breakers this is called double lugging your breakers or doubling up on breakers. This is a most unsafe practice and is frowned upon by Electrical Inspectors and Electrical Contractors alike.
