Uncategorized February 21, 2024

How Can a Smart Electrical Panel Benefit Your Home

An electrical panel distributes electricity from the main grid to your home’s individual outlets and appliances. However, the larger loads may not be enough for the traditional panel to regulate. In comes a new alternative, smart electrical panels.

What is a smart panel?

Every home has an electrical panel. It’s a thin metal box with a door and a ton of circuit breakers, that are hidden away in the garage, basement, or random corner. Most homeowners rarely think about it, except when they need to flip a breaker switch. The reason you have to flip a breaker switch with a traditional panel is because there is no way to monitor the distribution of electricity. When a device consumes too much electricity using a traditional panel, it overloads the circuits, which will then cut off power entirely.

You can avoid this with a smart panel. They have a more efficient way of distributing electricity. You can choose which circuit to energize or send the bulk of the electricity to an outlet or appliance in your house that demands more power. This will prevent the circuit from overloading and your home from losing power.

Why should you invest in a smart panel?

If your electrical panel is over 20 years old, or if you aren’t sure of the panel’s age, it’s a smart decision to upgrade. An outdated panel might fail or lead to safety concerns for your home. It may be time to upgrade your panel if you notice any of the following:

– Flickering lights

– Buzzing or crackling noises from the panel itself

– Obsolete or recalled panels

Lower utility bills

An upgraded panel will give you more control of your energy usage, helping to lower your utility bills. Smart panels have reporting capabilities and mobile control. These features give you access to which circuits are operating instead of letting them all run 24/7.

Manage electricity load

You are likely using more electrical appliances and tools than you were a decade, or even a few years ago. That usage will continue to increase as technology continues to develop. A smart electrical panel gives you better control of the load in your circuit breaker.  

The panels give you the flexibility to divert power loads and avoid overloading. Appliances like refrigerators, electric HVAC units, and other power-intensive devices have a large electricity load. The smart panel will actively manage and balance the load, even without any active intervention from you.  

Energy consumption data

Installing a smart panel in your home allows you to monitor your energy consumption in real-time, giving you the ability to make decisions on how to optimize your electric consumption. Smart panels can be connected using ethernet or a wireless connection, so you can monitor consumption data through your mobile phone.

Energy storage

If your home has a solar panel, smart panels are a great investment. You can use the panel to make energy storage more efficient by switching from the main grid to your alternative power source when the system is becoming overloaded.

Smart panels are a reliable solution for electrification projects. They’re a great choice for home projects that will increase your electricity usage, like installing an at-home electric vehicle charging station or an electric HVAC system. With a smart panel, you can prioritize essential circuits when using battery backup systems and provide surge protection for traditional panels.

It can be confusing to pick and choose the tech features you need, so our smart home professionals take the uncertainty out of home upgrades. We walk you through the selection process and install everything for you—so you won’t lift a finger. Tailoring home systems to your comfort with options that suit every need and budget. Contact our certified technicians today for an estimate.