Whether you’re adding AC, installing an EV charger, or dealing with an outdated panel that’s become a safety concern, Cascadia Comfort handles panel upgrades from start to finish. Free in-home estimates with no obligation.
Most homes built before the 1990s were designed for a fraction of the electrical demand modern households place on them. A 100-amp panel made sense when homes had a few appliances and incandescent lighting. It doesn’t make sense when you’re running a heat pump, an EV charger, a home office, and a kitchen full of modern appliances at the same time.
The greater Seattle area is seeing a surge in panel upgrade requests, and it’s not hard to understand why. Heat pumps and ductless mini-splits require dedicated circuits with adequate amperage. EV adoption in Washington is among the highest in the country. Older neighborhoods in Bothell, Everett, Lynnwood, and Bellevue still have panels that are 30 to 50 years old. And when homeowners start finishing basements, adding ADUs, or remodeling kitchens, their existing panel simply can’t keep up.
Common reasons homeowners upgrade their electrical panel:
A panel upgrade isn’t just about adding capacity. It’s about making sure your home’s electrical system is safe, code-compliant, and ready for the way you actually live.
01
Your Breakers Trip Frequently or Won’t Reset
A breaker that trips occasionally is doing its job. A breaker that trips regularly under normal use, or one that won’t stay reset, is telling you the circuit is consistently overloaded or there’s a fault somewhere in the system. If you’re regularly managing which appliances can run at the same time to avoid tripping a breaker, your panel doesn’t have the capacity your home needs. That’s not an inconvenience to work around, it’s a signal to act on.
02
Your Panel Is 25 or More Years Old
Older panels weren’t built for modern electrical loads, and some have known safety issues. Federal Pacific Electric and Zinsco panels, common in homes built from the 1950s through the 1980s, have well-documented failure rates and are considered fire hazards by many electricians and insurance companies. Even panels without a known defect brand can develop corrosion, loose connections, and degraded components over decades of use. If your panel is aging and you haven’t had it inspected recently, it’s worth having a professional take a look.
03
You’re Adding a Major Electrical Load
Installing a heat pump, adding an EV charger, finishing a basement, or building an ADU all place new sustained demands on your electrical system. Many of these additions require a dedicated 240-volt circuit with its own breaker. If your panel is already near capacity, there simply isn’t room to add what you need safely. A panel upgrade creates that headroom and makes sure your new equipment runs correctly and safely from day one.
2-YEAR SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
10-YEAR PARTS & LABOR WARRANTY
COMMON AC ISSUES WE FIX
Some electrical situations can’t wait. A panel that’s sparking, burning, or causing repeated outages is a safety risk that needs immediate attention. Cascadia Comfort offers same-day and emergency electrical service throughout the greater Seattle area for situations that pose an active risk to your home or family.
When you call us for an urgent panel issue, you’re not sitting through a phone tree or waiting on a callback. We get you scheduled quickly, arrive prepared, and assess the situation honestly. If your panel needs immediate replacement, we’ll tell you plainly and get it handled.
Same-day service is available for:
It’s worth being direct here: electrical panels are not a wait-and-see situation. A failing panel is one of the leading causes of residential electrical fires. If something seems wrong with your panel, the right move is to get a professional assessment as soon as possible, not to schedule it for next month when it’s more convenient.
Cascadia Comfort serves homeowners throughout the greater Seattle area including Bothell, Everett, Lynnwood, Bellevue, and surrounding communities.
It depends on the age and condition of the panel, its current capacity, and what you’re trying to add to your home. Some issues are isolated repairs. Others indicate a panel that’s reached the end of its useful life or simply can’t handle modern demand. We assess that during a free in-home estimate and give you a straightforward recommendation.
Costs vary based on the size of the new panel, the complexity of the installation, and whether any additional work like wiring updates or meter upgrades is needed. Our in-home estimates are free and come with no obligation so you’ll have a real number before committing to anything.
Most panel upgrades are completed in one day. Your power will be off for a portion of the day during the switchover. We’ll give you a clear timeline and coordinate with you to minimize disruption.
Yes. Electrical panel upgrades require a permit and inspection in Washington State. Cascadia Comfort handles the permitting process so your installation is code-compliant, your homeowner’s insurance remains valid, and there are no issues if you sell your home.
In most cases, yes. The utility provider typically needs to disconnect and reconnect power at the meter during a panel upgrade. We coordinate that process on your behalf so you don’t have to manage it yourself.
Here’s what to expect from the panel upgrade process with Cascadia Comfort, from first call to final inspection.
Free In-Home Estimate We start by visiting your home to assess your current panel, review your electrical load, and understand what’s driving the upgrade. Whether it’s a new heat pump, an EV charger, a remodel, or a safety concern, the right panel size and configuration depends on your specific situation. We size your new panel correctly based on current demand and reasonable future needs, not just the minimum required to get the job done today.
Permit Pulling and Utility Coordination Before any work begins, we pull the required permits and coordinate with your utility provider for meter disconnect and reconnect. This protects you legally, keeps your insurance valid, and ensures the finished work passes inspection.
Panel Removal and Replacement On installation day, we coordinate the utility disconnect, remove your existing panel, and install the new one. All existing circuits are transferred cleanly and labeled correctly. If any wiring is found to be damaged, undersized, or out of code compliance during the process, we’ll flag it and discuss next steps before proceeding.
Dedicated Circuit Installation If you’re upgrading your panel to support a specific new load, such as a heat pump, EV charger, or kitchen remodel, we install the required dedicated circuits as part of the same project. This is the most efficient time to add those circuits since the panel is already open and the work is being inspected together.
HVAC and EV Charger Tie-Ins Cascadia Comfort’s electrical work connects directly with our HVAC installations. If you’re upgrading your panel as part of a heat pump or AC installation, we handle both sides of that project without needing to coordinate between separate contractors. For EV charger installation, we ensure your new panel supports the correct amperage and install a dedicated 240-volt circuit sized for your charger.
Inspection and Sign-Off After installation, a city or county electrical inspector reviews the work and signs off on the permit. This step is not optional and is part of every panel upgrade we perform. Once inspection is complete, you have documentation that your electrical system meets current code, which matters for insurance, resale, and your own peace of mind.
Final Walkthrough Before we leave, we walk you through your new panel, explain the circuit layout, and make sure everything is labeled clearly. We’ll also let you know if anything else in your electrical system needs attention down the road.
