When it comes to the electricity in your home, the brains of the operation are the electrical panel. Sometimes the electrical panel can be a little intimidating to some homeowners because they are unsure about its function and how it works. The main function of is to help distribute electricity to the designated areas of home that need it at any point in time. Without the electrical panel it is impossible for your electronics, lighting fixtures, and appliances to talk to the electricity source to identify you are trying to get power to a specific room or device. So, we have compiled an easy breakdown to make it easier to understand the functionality of your electrical panel.
What components make-up your electrical panel in your home?
There is a variety of components that make up the functions of your electrical panel in your home. Each component serves a specific functionality, that helps sustain the power to your home. Here is a list of the different components and each functionality that they support.
· The Main Breaker
The main breaker switch helps deliver electricity to your entire home. If you experience any type of electrical emergency in your home, this would be the switch you would want to turn off to cut power to your entire house.
· The Double Pole Breaker
A double pole breaker has a variety of amps to help support the many devices and appliances you have in your home. Its main function is to make sure the items in use are protected if there is a short circuit. If someone is detected as abnormal both poles will trip to protect your devices.
· Single Pole Breakers
This type of breakers often helps support some of the larger appliances and gadgets in your home. From your Electric dryer to your garage door opener. They are equipped with one neutral wire, that helps trip the breaker that is experiencing the short circuit. Single pole breakers focus on the problem circuit while leaving the other circuits unaffected by the short circuit.
· Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters or AFCI
These circuit breakers are designed specifically to help protect your home from electrical fires. When this breaker detects a arc in electricity it then moves on to distinguish if it is a good arc ( one that is experienced when a lamp or other device is in operation), or a bad arc (One that could cause a fire due to broken or shorted out wiring that may go undetected by the untrained eye.)
· Empty Slots on the Electrical Panel
Sometimes there are additional empty spaces found in your home’s electrical panel. These spaces are great to have because they allow you to add more outlets in your home that you may not have realized you needed.
· Sub Panels
Sub panels are great for adding on to your home. If you have a electrical panel that is already at max capacity, a sub panel is a great addition to help power the rest of your home.
These are some of your most common switches you will find in your electrical panel. If you feel like something is not working properly, call an electrician and they will be able to assess if something is wrong or if you would need an electrical panel upgrade.
For all your Electrical needs, let the professionals at Downtown Electric and Lighting help you update your homes wiring. Call us TODAY at (719)-428-8245 to schedule your appointment for your estimate.
