Should you repair or replace your electrical panel?
Updated August 2026
← Every repair-or-replace call
Fix a single failed breaker or a loose bus connection for $150–300 when the rest of the panel is sound; replace the whole panel, at $1,500–4,000, when it carries a recalled brand name, has no space left, shows rust, or cannot supply the amperage your house draws. Panels are not wear items the way a motor is, so age alone rarely forces the call. Four things do: brand, capacity, corrosion, and free slots. A Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco panel is the clearest case, because those designs have a long-documented history of breakers that fail to trip, and electricians treat them as replace-on-sight no matter how well the house has behaved so far.
The short version
Run the decision in two passes. Safety comes first: if the label reads Federal Pacific, Stab-Lok, or Zinsco, stop weighing costs and budget the replacement, since a breaker that will not open on a fault is the one failure a homeowner cannot see coming. Capacity and condition come second. A 100-amp service in a house with central air, an induction range, and a 40-amp EV charger is already stretched, and a 200-amp upgrade at $2,500–4,000 buys headroom for the next 20 years. If the brand is sound, the amperage fits, and the bus bars are clean, a single dead breaker is exactly what it looks like: a $10–40 part with a service call on top.
Your situation, decided
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One breaker trips or will not reset, panel otherwise sound | Repair | A $10–40 breaker plus labor, roughly $150–300 total |
| Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco panel, any age | Replace | Those breakers can fail to trip on a fault; a known fire risk |
| Panel full, no slots left for a new circuit | Replace or add a subpanel | Tandem breakers only stretch so far before the bus runs out |
| Rust, scorch marks, or a burning smell at the panel | Replace | Corroded or overheated bus bars cannot be repaired safely |
| 100-amp service, adding EV charging and a heat pump | Upgrade to 200 amp | A $2,500–4,000 upgrade beats juggling loads for years |
| Panel 30 years old, sound brand, clean, and adequate | Repair | Age alone decides nothing; condition and capacity do |
What each path costs
Repairs typically run $150–300; a replacement is $1,500–4,000 installed. An electrical panel lasts 25–40 years. Brand, capacity, and corrosion settle the call before age does, and a recalled Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel is a replacement at any age. Price your own number on the home maintenance cost calculator before you commit either way.
The repair-or-replace call is easy when you know the unit's age and service history. OnOtto keeps both, plus the maintenance that delays this decision for years.
Start your home's service log, freeFrequently asked questions
Is a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel really worth replacing?
Yes, and electricians rarely hedge on this one. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco breakers have a documented tendency to fail to trip on an overload or short, which means the panel can keep feeding a fault instead of cutting it. You cannot test your way out of that, and a fresh breaker does not fix the underlying design. Budget $1,500–4,000 for a new panel and treat it as a scheduled project, not an emergency, unless you find rust, scorching, or a warm cover. An annual look at the panel tells you which it is.
Do I need a 200-amp upgrade, or is 100 amps still enough?
Your loads decide, not your square footage. A 100-amp service ran a 1970s house comfortably, but add central air, an induction range, a heat pump, and a 40-amp EV charger and you can exceed it. An electrician performs a load calculation, and if the total lands near the limit you upgrade. A 200-amp service upgrade runs $2,500–4,000 including the meter base and utility coordination, against $1,500–2,500 for a like-for-like swap. If battery storage or a second EV is anywhere in your plans, do it once and do it at 200 amps.
Can a full panel be fixed with tandem breakers instead?
Sometimes, and it is the cheaper path when it works. Many panels accept tandem breakers in specific slots, fitting two circuits into one space, but the label states how many are allowed and the bus still has an amp ceiling. A subpanel is the next step up, roughly $500–1,200 installed, and it adds slots without touching the main service. Neither trick helps if the main breaker is already undersized for the house. Work through the panel checklist before adding circuits to a box that is already crowded.
How long does a panel replacement take, and does it need a permit?
Plan on a full day and a permit. A straight panel swap takes an electrician 4–8 hours, and a service upgrade adds utility coordination to pull the meter, which can stretch the work across two visits. Permits run $100–500 depending on the jurisdiction, and an inspection follows. Your power stays off for most of that day, so plan around the refrigerator. Panels last 25–40 years and rarely get replaced twice in one ownership, so pay for the work done properly the first time.