Your electrical panel is the one piece of equipment that exists to protect everything else, and it is the one nobody looks at until something goes wrong. Most upgrades here happen for one of three reasons: the panel is full, the service is too small for the way the house is now used, or the panel is one of the brands with a documented history of breakers that fail to trip.
At Reimer, we upgrade electrical panels for homeowners across Buffalo and Erie County, with licensed electricians working in Rochester, Hamburg, Cheektowaga, Albany, Syracuse and communities throughout Upstate New York. We handle the permit, the inspection and the utility coordination, so you are not chasing three parties to get your power back on.
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Since 1921, our team of Western NY’s top notch service specialists have been serving the area and caring for thousands of customers. At Reimer, we do everything in our power to ensure that your home comfort system works efficiently and effectively every time you turn it on.
- Multi-Point System Inspection
- Calibrate System for Efficiency
- Ensure Proper Airflow
- Maintain System Warranties
- Reduces Unexpected Breakdowns
- Evaluate Filtration & Indoor Air Quality
- Routine Maintenance Leads to Reduced Utility Bills and Extends the Life of your System(s)
We back up our word and our work.
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Everything our team does comes backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. It’s our pledge to you. If you’re not completely satisfied with our service, just give us a call. We’ll talk it through with you and figure out how to make it right.
When Does an Electrical Panel Need Upgrading?
A panel needs upgrading when it can no longer do one of two jobs: supply what the house draws, or protect the circuits behind it.
Capacity is the more common trigger. A 60 or 100 amp service was perfectly adequate when a house had lighting, receptacles, a gas furnace and a gas water heater. Central air, an electric range, a hot tub or a workshop all push against that ceiling, and the panel starts telling you so with nuisance tripping and no room left to add a circuit.
Age and condition are the other trigger. Panels fitted decades ago were built to standards long superseded, and some older equipment no longer protects the circuits the way a modern breaker does. Rust inside the cabinet, heat at the cover, a burning smell or scorching around a breaker all point at a panel that should be replaced rather than added to. Fuse boxes fall into the same conversation, not because a fuse is inherently unsafe, but because fitting an oversized fuse to stop nuisance blowing removes the protection entirely, and it is a common thing to find in older homes.
We assess the panel, the service size and the condition of the wiring landing at it, then tell you whether you are looking at a full upgrade, a subpanel or nothing at all.
What Are the Signs Your Electrical Panel Needs Upgrading?
These are the conditions that bring most homeowners to us:
- Breakers tripping repeatedly on circuits that are not obviously overloaded
- No spare breaker spaces, or tandem breakers doubled into slots never designed for them
- Warmth at the panel cover, a burning smell, buzzing, or scorch marks around a breaker
- Rust or corrosion inside the cabinet, common on panels fixed to damp basement walls
- Fuses rather than breakers, or 60 to 100 amp service in a house that has since gained central air, an electric range or a hot tub
- A planned addition the current service cannot carry, such as an EV charger, a heat pump or a workshop
One tripping breaker on its own is not a panel problem. That is a circuit to diagnose first, and it is covered on our circuit breaker replacement page.
Do You Need a Panel Upgrade for a Heat Pump or EV Charger?
Sometimes, and a load calculation is what answers it. A 100 amp service was perfectly adequate when a house had lighting, receptacles, a gas furnace and a gas water heater. Add a heat pump, an EV charger, an induction range and a ductless system and the arithmetic changes.
We run the numbers before committing you to an upgrade, because in a fair number of homes the existing service can carry the new equipment with load management instead, and that is a much smaller project.
What Does an Electrical Panel Upgrade Involve?
Our certified electrician assesses the existing panel and service size, the grounding and bonding arrangement, the condition of the branch wiring where it lands at the panel, and the loads you intend to add.
On the day, the utility disconnects the service, the old panel comes out, the new panel and any service equipment goes in, circuits are transferred and labelled properly, and grounding and bonding are brought to current requirements, which is frequently what older installations are missing.
Expect to be without power for several hours. Expect an electrical inspection as well, since in New York this work is inspected by an approved agency and the utility will not reconnect until the certificate is issued. Municipal permit requirements vary by town, and we handle all of it.
A subpanel adds circuit space. It does not add service capacity. If your service is adequate and you have simply run out of slots, a subpanel is a smaller and cheaper answer, particularly for a garage, workshop or finished basement. If the load calculation says the service itself is the constraint, a subpanel just moves the problem downstream. We tell you which situation you are in before quoting either.
Reliable Electrical Panel Upgrades Across Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany
From North Buffalo’s historic homes to newer builds in the suburbs, Reimer has experience upgrading electrical panels across Erie County. Buffalo’s mix of old and new homes means every property has unique needs.
For example, many older homes near Delaware Park and Elmwood Village still operate with outdated fuse boxes. These systems simply weren’t designed for today’s energy demand. Our team specializes in carefully upgrading these homes, preserving their character while modernizing their electrical systems for safety and convenience.
We upgrade panels throughout Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Hamburg, West Seneca, Orchard Park, Tonawanda, Grand Island, Williamsville and Niagara Falls. Our electricians also cover Rochester, the Finger Lakes, Syracuse, Albany and the Capital Region.
A panel upgrade is one of the few electrical jobs that depends on three parties agreeing: us, the inspection agency and the utility. Coordinating those is most of what determines whether your power is off for an afternoon or a day, and it is work we do rather than work we hand to you.
We have branches in Cheektowaga, Hamburg, Rochester, Clifton Park and Brewerton, so the electrician who assesses your panel works out of a location near you. Our call center is available 24/7.
Why Homeowners Trust Reimer for Electrical Panel Upgrades
We have been working in this region since 1921, and Buffalo News readers voted us Best of 716 for electrical in 2025 alongside HVAC and plumbing. More than 13,764 Google reviews back the work, and on a job that takes your power out for most of a day, that record is the point.
Every electrician who comes to your door is licensed and background checked, and you approve the price before we start. Because we run electrical, heating and plumbing under one roof, a panel job that turns out to involve HVAC or plumbing circuits stays with one company. Everything we do is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Schedule an Electrical Panel Upgrade with Reimer Today
If your panel is full, still running on fuses, or showing any of the warning signs above, it is worth having assessed before you add anything else to it. We will check the service size, run the load calculation and tell you whether you need a full upgrade or something smaller.
Call Reimer at (716) 272-2371 to schedule your panel assessment in Buffalo, Erie County or anywhere across our Upstate New York service area, or book online and we will confirm your arrival window.
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Air Conditioning, Heating, Electrical & Plumbing Repair in Buffalo, New York.
For decades, local homeowners have trusted the team at Reimer Home Services with all their home service needs. We’re your HVAC company in Buffalo. We’re your plumbers here in Western New York. Above all else, we’re here for you and your home.
You can count on our team to be there when you need us. In fact, we’re available Day or Night. Your home’s problems can’t wait, and neither should you. Call us and let us know how our plumbers and techs can help.
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Electrical Panel Upgrades FAQ
What is the difference between 100 amp and 200 amp service?
It is how much the house can draw at once. 100 amp suits a home with gas heating and hot water and a modest electrical load. 200 amp is the practical baseline for a home adding a heat pump, EV charging or electric cooking.
Do I need a permit for a panel upgrade?
Yes, and the work is also inspected by an approved agency before the utility will reconnect. We pull the permit and arrange the inspection as part of the job.
Can you replace a fuse box with a breaker panel?
Yes, and it is one of the more common upgrades we carry out in older homes here. We assess the service size and the branch wiring at the same time, since a fuse box often comes with wiring of the same age.
Will a panel upgrade fix my flickering lights?
Sometimes, if the cause is a loose connection or an overloaded service. Just as often the fault is on a circuit rather than at the panel, which is why we diagnose before recommending an upgrade.
Does a panel upgrade add value to my home?
It removes a common obstacle at sale, particularly where an insurer or a buyer’s inspector flags an obsolete panel brand. It also determines what a future owner can add without further work.
How long will my power be off during a panel upgrade?
Typically several hours for a panel replacement. If the service entrance is being upgraded as well, plan for most of a day, since the utility disconnection and reconnection have to be scheduled around the inspection.
We are available Day or Night
Some heating companies in Buffalo, NY are only open for regular business hours. At Reimer, we don’t think that’s the right way to do things. Our heating experts are available Day or Night. When you need us, just call us. We make it as simple as that. When you urgently need a heating technician here in Buffalo, NY, get in touch with us. Give us a call or contact us online.
Factory Authorized Trane System Dealer
Reimer is proud to be a Factory Authorized Trane System Dealer and offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. We are so confident that you will be comfortable – not only with your Trane System heating and cooling products but with us as a Factory Authorized Trane System Dealer – that we back it up with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This guarantee applies If, you are dissatisfied with your Trane System equipment within one year, for any reason.
