Electrical Panels & Service in Silver Spring, MD
The panel is the heart of your house’s electrical system. Knowing what yours can do is the first step in any bigger plan.
What your electrical panel does and why it matters
Every circuit in a house starts at the electrical panel, the gray box in the basement, garage or closet with a row of breakers. It takes the power the utility delivers and divides it among the circuits, each protected by a breaker that trips when something goes wrong. How big the service is, commonly 100 or 200 amps, sets the limit on what the whole house can run at once.
In older homes, the panel is often where the age shows. A house built in the 1940s or 50s may have a 60- or 100-amp service and a panel with few spaces left, while a modern home with electric heat pumps, an induction range, an EV charger or a finished basement wants far more. Some older panel brands have documented problems too, which is why insurers sometimes ask what yours is. These are the questions behind most panel and service conversations.
This category is where we collect the work that protects and supports the system as a whole. Whole-house surge protection sits here, because it installs at the panel and guards every circuit. If you think your panel needs replacing or your service needs upgrading, call and describe your situation. We will tell you whether it is a job we take on, what permits it involves, and whether an inspection first would help.
Panel and service work
Why Zavala Electric for panel and service questions
Panels are where small mistakes have big consequences, which is why we start with the facts about your house: the service size, the panel brand and age, and what you want to add. That tells us whether a simple fix is enough or the system needs more.
We would rather tell you honestly what the work involves, including when it is outside what we take on, than promise something and leave you with a problem.
Panels & Service: common questions
How do I know if my electrical panel needs to be replaced?
Signs include breakers that will not reset or trip often, burn marks, rust, a buzzing sound, no space for new breakers and brands with known problems. A panel that is simply old is not automatically a problem, but an inspection can tell you.
What is the difference between a 100-amp and a 200-amp service?
It is the maximum current the house can draw at once. A 100-amp service is enough for many older homes. Adding an electric range, heat pump, EV charger or an addition may call for 200 amps.
Which panels are known problems?
Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels have documented concerns, and some insurers ask about them. Identifying the brand is part of any inspection.
Does upgrading a panel need a permit?
Yes. Panel and service work is permitted and inspected, and the utility is usually involved in disconnecting and reconnecting power. We tell you what applies to your address.
Do you replace panels and upgrade service?
Call and describe your situation. We will tell you whether it is something we take on, and we will not promise work that is outside what a small company does well.
Find out what your panel can handle
Tell us the age of the house and what you are planning to add, and we will tell you what to look at first.