If you buy a house with this type of bad electrical panel you might have trouble getting insurance! Not only that, the panel could overheat and catch fire.
Federal Pacific Electrical panels have been known for a long time to be a potential problem but there are still many homes in south Florida that have these bad electrical panels. Federal Pacific electrical panels been the subject of class action lawsuits because their circuit breakers have been known to fail to trip at a higher rate than standard panels. When a breaker doesn’t trip, an electrical surge will likely cause the wires to melt and possibly cause a fire. Many Federal Pacific Electric panels and breakers can operate properly for years, but they can also malfunction unexpectedly. Simply replacing the circuit breakers is not a sufficient. You need to have the entire panel replaced by a licensed electrician.
It doesn’t mean you can’t buy the house. You could ask the seller to replace the panel, get a credit from the seller or just pay to have it replaced yourself.
There is also a Distribution Panel inside the house – maybe in the garage, hallway, kitchen or utility room. Watch out for the words “Stab-Lok” which is a give-a-way that this is a Federal Pacific panel.
For more on dangerous electrical panels in south Florida and Federal Pacific panels, watch this home inspector video.
Schedule your inspection today and get the Peace of Mind you deserve when buying your next home!
