100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical Panels: Which is Better?

What are the best Amp Electrical Panels for Wiring Your Home?

If you’re trying to determine the size of your main electrical service at home or you need temporary power for your home remodelling project and you’re torn between 100 amp vs 200 amp electrical panels, then this is going to be your guide. Read on to find out more.

100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical PanelsThe best way to tell whether you should choose between 100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical Panels to update your home’s electrical system is by knowing the size of the electrical service in your home. You must also find out whether or not the electrical service is large enough to take the update. You can also find more information about amperage and electrical panels as well as how it works at AcademicHelp.The electric service that’s delivered from utility companies to a home has a total capacity, which is measured in amperes or amps. This is why most homes have been fitted with either 100 Amp or 200 amp electrical panels. This is going to be your guide to figuring out the difference between 100 amp vs 200 amp electrical panels, and which one is the best choice for your home.

What is Amperage?

Amperage is a measurement scale that’s used to measure the volume of electricity that’s flowing through the wiring in a home. This measurement may vary from just 30 amps in older homes to 400 amps in newer and larger homes that use electrical heating systems and other appliances.

The best way to tell whether you should choose between 100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical Panels to update your home’s electrical system is by knowing the size of the electrical service in your home. You must also find out whether or not the electrical service is large enough to take the update. You can also find more information about amperage and electrical panels as well as how it works at AcademicHelp.

100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical Panels

So, should you go with a 100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical Panels for your property?

While many people do not consider this to be a top priority, updating the electrical panels is a crucial step when updating a property. The main difference between the 100 amp vs 200 amp electrical panels is that the latter is larger in size.

The larger size means that you get a lot more circuits in the 200 amp electrical panel, as compared to an older 100 amp panel. More circuits equate to being able to capture more of the electricity being delivered to your home by the power company.

A Smart Choice for Electrical Appliances

Going for a 200 amp electrical panel is the smart choice for those homeowners who use many electricity-powered appliances, water heaters, electric baseboard heating, and so on. However, this is only required for newer, modern homes, since homes that still use gas-powered stoves or gas furnaces will not require that amount of electrical power.

200 amp electrical panels are especially useful in colder climates where using electric baseboard heating is considered to be far more efficient in keeping sections of the home warm during winter without pushing up the electricity costs.

Future-Proof Your Home

Another reason why going with a 200 amp electric panel could be an excellent choice for your home is because it is an easy way of future-proofing your property. For instance, if you have plans to get multiple electric heaters for your home or add an air conditioning unit, a 200 amp electrical panel will ensure that your home is able to take the load. Make sure you have a temporary power pole permit.

Avoid Shorts and Power Outages

Most people think of power outages whenever there’s a natural disaster or when the main electric power system components get seriously damaged due to whatever reason. But, shorts and power outages can also occur if you’re using many electric-powered appliances without giving it the right support.

This is often the case when using heavy-duty electric appliances, such as air conditioning units and electric baseboard heating, without having enough amperage coming into your home’s electrical system.

This means getting a 200 amp electrical panel is your best choice if you’re looking to avoid unexpected power outages, blown fuses, and broken breakers, which occur on a regular basis when your home does not receive the right amount of amperage.

Do Your Research

While we’ve probably made the case for why you should go with the latter when choosing between 100 Amp vs 200 Amp Electrical Panels, there are also other factors that need to be considered. These include your location, for instance. It is also important to note that different cities have different requirements, so it’s best to contact the local electric company to find out what will be the ideal choice according to your situation.

Your local electric company will also inform you if any changes need to be made on the outside of your home before you go ahead and upgrade your existing electric panel.

Whether you go with a 100 amp or a 200 amp electric panel for your home, these panels usually have a lifespan of up to 40 years, so you will want to choose the right one according to your situation, and keeping the future scalability of your electric appliances in mind.

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Interesting related article: “How to lower your electricity bills.”