Electrical breaker panel types and prices: an overview

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The electric wiring in your home is incredibly important. Any remodeling you do may make it necessary to replace your circuit breaker. There are a few different electrical breaker panel types, so you'll need to make sure you get one that is right for your needs.

Your contractor should be able to help you choose which breaker panel is needed and will then do the wiring installation to connect everything together. By choosing the right breaker panel and hiring a qualified contractor, you can save yourself a huge headache in the future, since it will likely be unnecessary to tear open your walls to fix any improper wiring or damage caused by using the wrong circuit breaker.

Of course, if you have a little electrical knowledge, you could try wiring it yourself. But you should attempt it only if you're confident in your abilities.

Find area contractors! Ask about electrical panel types and installation costs!

The three main electrical breaker panel types:

• Magnetic.
• Thermal.
• And a combination of the two.

They are designed to control the flow of electricity coming into a house and moving throughout its various circuits, shutting part or the entire electrical system down when it gets overloaded.

The major difference among these three panel types is the method they use to shut down the electrical system.

Magnetic breaker panels work on the principle of electromagnetism, which gets stronger when more current passes through it. A sudden overload causes the magnet to snap the system shut.

Thermal breaker panels work by the same principle, except high heat generated by large amounts of electricity triggers the circuit to close.

The different electrical breaker panel types that use a combination of both magnets and heat sensors are usually considered to be the most reliable and fail proof. That's because there are two separate systems working together that can each shut off the breaker when a certain threshold is reached.

Unfortunately, they are also by far the most expensive. Nonetheless, if you want to truly protect your wiring and help prevent electrical fires, then these breaker panels will be the best choice.

The amount you'll have to pay for the different types of panels will depend a lot on how big the panels need to be, so it is recommended to get an estimate from a reputable electrician who can help advise you on the size of panel you'll need. If you have an existing breaker panel, it might also be possible to simply install a smaller panel to cover the addition.

Overall, no matter which of the different circuit breaker panel types you go with, it is important that you spend the money to get a high-quality panel and hire a certified electrician to do any necessary wiring. It could save you a lot of time and money in the end, preventing your newly painted walls from having to be torn down to fix any electrical problems.

Photo credit: allenelectrical.com