Your Home's Electrical Hub

5 Signs Your Circuit Breaker Box Needs a Professional Inspection

Your circuit breaker box, or electrical panel, is the heart of your home's electrical system. It’s designed to protect your home from overloads and short circuits. But like any critical component, it can wear out or become unsafe over time. Ignoring the warning signs can lead to catastrophic failure or even an electrical fire.

Here are the five key warning signs that tell you it's time to call a licensed electrician in the Myrtle Beach area for a professional panel inspection.

1. Your Breakers Trip Frequently

A circuit breaker is designed to trip (shut off) when a circuit is overloaded. It’s a normal safety function. However, if you have a breaker that trips repeatedly—every few days or weeks—it's a sign of a deeper problem. It could mean the circuit is constantly overloaded, there's a short in the wiring, or the breaker itself is failing.

2. A Burning Smell or Scorch Marks

This is the most urgent warning sign. A burning smell coming from your electrical panel indicates that a wire or a connection is overheating and melting its plastic insulation. You might also see visible scorch marks or discoloration on the panel itself or around a specific breaker. If you notice this, call a licensed electrician immediately.

3. Buzzing or Hissing Sounds

Your electrical panel should operate silently. If you hear a persistent buzzing, hissing, or crackling sound coming from the breaker box, it's a serious red flag. These sounds often mean a wire is loose, a breaker isn't seated correctly, or your panel is experiencing an electrical arc—a dangerous condition where electricity is jumping between connections.

4. Flickering or Dimming Lights

While a single flickering light might be a bad bulb, if lights flicker throughout your house, especially when a large appliance like your AC unit kicks on, it often points to a problem at the panel. It suggests loose service conductors or a failing main breaker that can't handle the home's electrical load, creating inconsistent power delivery.

5. Your Panel is Old or Made by a Recalled Brand

Age itself is a risk factor. Electrical panels typically have a lifespan of 25-40 years. If your home is older and has its original panel, it's due for an inspection. More importantly, some brands installed in older homes are now known fire hazards. These include:

• Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panels: Notorious for failing to trip when they should.
• Zinsco or GTE-Sylvania panels: Prone to overheating and breakers melting to the main bus bar.

Loftis Pro Tip:

If you see the names "Federal Pacific," "Stab-Lok," or "Zinsco" on your panel, we strongly recommend scheduling an inspection as soon as possible, even if you haven't noticed other issues.