How long will my power be off during a panel upgrade?

For a standard 100A to 200A panel replacement, power is disconnected in the morning when the utility de-energizes the drop, and service is typically restored the same afternoon—usually within 4 to 8 hours. CurrentMax Electric coordinates directly with your utility provider to keep downtime as short as possible.

How do I know if I need to upgrade to a 200A or 400A panel?

If your home’s existing panel has no remaining breaker slots, trips frequently during peak appliance use, or you plan to install a Level 2 EV charger, heat pump, induction cooktop, or hot tub, you likely need a 200A upgrade. Larger properties exceeding 3,500 square feet with multiple electric HVAC systems or dual EV chargers typically benefit from a 400A service.

Can you install a smart electrical panel like Span.io?

Yes. CurrentMax Electric installs Span.io smart panels as well as traditional panels paired with smart energy management hardware (such as Emporia or Leviton Smart). Smart panels allow circuit-level energy monitoring and automated load shedding during utility outages or battery operation.

Why do you need to add ground rods if my old panel didn’t have them?

Under NEC Article 250, residential services require dual driven copper grounding electrodes spaced at least 6 feet apart to protect against grid surges and lightning strikes. Older homes often relied solely on metal water lines, which fail to ground safely once sections are replaced with non-conductive PEX or PVC plumbing.

Will a new panel increase my home's resale value or lower insurance costs?

Yes. Many insurers charge higher premiums or deny coverage for homes with hazardous panels like Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok, Zinsco, or fuse boxes. A modern 200A panel equipped with whole-home surge protection passes buyer inspections with clean documentation and protects modern electronics.

Home Rewiring & Structural Wiring Services

CurrentMax Electric provides whole-home rewiring, structural rough-in, and detached building wiring for residential properties throughout the Raleigh triangle area. Our licensed, insured master electricians replace outdated fire hazards like knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, wire new additions and remodels, and install underground subpanel trench feeds to protect modern homes and meet current electrical demand.

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Service Capabilities & Equipment

We handle complex structural wiring from service entrance panels down to branch circuitry, utilizing commercial-grade hardware and building materials built to code:

Wiring Remediation: Full replacement of ungrounded cloth-sheathed knob-and-tube circuits and AlumiConn / Copalum torque-rated pigtailing or copper runs for 1960s–70s aluminum branch wiring.
Structural Rough-In & Additions: Complete rough-in runs using Southwire Romex NM-B (14/2, 12/2, 10/3) and MC metal-clad armored cable for studs, joists, and exposed runs.
Panel & Subpanel Integration: Subpanel feeds and service upgrades using Square D QO, Eaton CH (Cutler-Hammer), Siemens, and Span smart electrical panels.
Ventilation & Climate Wiring: Dedicated 120V and 240V circuits, timer switches, and smart humidistat controls for Broan-NuTone and Panasonic WhisperCeiling exhaust systems, QuietCool whole-house fans, and solar attic fans.
Underground Trenching & Outbuildings: Directional and trench-fed secondary distribution using Southwire SIMpull UF-B direct-burial cable or Schedule 40/80 rigid PVC conduit for detached garages, ADUs, workshops, and backyard sheds.

Local Permitting & NEC Code Compliance

100% Permitted & Inspected Work — Protecting Your Home's Warranty & Insurance

Every structural rewiring project requires strict adherence to National Electrical Code (NEC) standards and mandatory municipal safety permitting. CurrentMax Electric handles all paperwork, load calculations, and municipal field inspections directly.

Minimum trench depth clearances—24 inches for direct-burial UF-B cable, 18 inches for Schedule 40/80 PVC conduit, and 6 inches for threaded metallic conduit under residential driveways and lawns.
All newly rewired bedrooms, living areas, kitchens, and additions receive dual-function AFCI/GFCI circuit protection to eliminate arc-fault fire risks and lethal ground surges.
Dedicated 20-amp circuits for bathroom branch wiring, ensuring ventilation fans and GFCI-protected countertop receptacles do not exceed capacity.
Cable secured within 12 inches of each enclosure, clamped every 4.5 feet along framing, and protected by steel nail plates where holes pass closer than 1.25 inches from stud edges.

Transparent Cost Factors: What Shapes Your Estimate

No two residential rewiring jobs are identical. We provide clear, itemized quotes based on the physical constraints and electrical demands of your home:

Accessibility (Attic/Crawlspace vs. Finished Drywall/Slab): Homes with accessible open attics, basements, or raised crawlspaces require far less drywall repair and labor hours compared to two-story slab-on-grade builds requiring surgical wall cuts and fishing.
Distance to Main Service Panel: Longer homerun circuits for home additions or outbuildings increase copper conductor gauge size (to account for voltage drop) and material expenditure.
Trenching Surface Conditions: Trenching across soft lawn turf using a mechanical ditch witch costs substantially less than cutting, excavating, and repouring concrete driveways or asphalt pathways.
Existing Service Capacity (100A vs. 200A): Adding an ADU, detached shop subpanel, or major HVAC addition may trigger a required 200A service entrance upgrade if your home's total calculated load exceeds the current utility feed limit.

Step-by-Step Installation Process

01

Site Assessment & Load Calculation

Load calculation performed before any quote is finalized.

We perform a thorough panel diagnostic, calculate continuous and peak loads according to NEC Article 220, map existing wall cavities, and draft a dedicated circuit schematic.

02

Engineering & Permitting

Handling all regulatory paperwork

We submit detailed electrical plans to the local building department, pull all required municipal permits, and schedule the appropriate rough-in inspection milestones.

03

Rough-In & Structural Wiring

Our team routes new branch lines, digs required trenches, pulls direct-burial conduit, terminates subpanels, and installs all nail plates, junction boxes, and ventilation feeds.

04

Code Inspection & Final Testing

Final sign-off and safety audit

We coordinate the official city or county rough-in and final inspections, conduct full polarity and dielectric ground testing, and hand off a signed permit clearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can rewire your home in phases. Most homeowners prioritize hazardous knob-and-tube or ungrounded living areas first, followed by utility-heavy spaces like kitchens, basements, and detached garages. During each phase, our electricians tie new branch circuits cleanly into your existing panel while maintaining power to the rest of your home.
No. While open walls during a remodel make the job faster, a whole-home rewire in a finished house is largely completed by fishing flexible Romex or MC cable through attics, crawlspaces, and interior stud cavities. We make small, strategic inspection incisions only where framing blocks the path, keeping wall restoration minimal.
Per NEC Table 300.5, a trench must be at least 18 inches deep if wiring is encased in Schedule 40 or 80 PVC conduit, and at least 24 inches deep if running direct-burial rated UF-B cable under a residential yard. Driveway crossings or areas subject to vehicular traffic require a minimum of 24 inches regardless of conduit type.
Aluminum expands and contracts significantly more than copper when carrying current, which causes connections at standard switches and outlets to loosen over time. This loose connection creates high electrical resistance, arcing, and oxidation, presenting a severe hidden fire hazard behind finished walls. We remediate aluminum circuits with permanent, code-approved Copalum or AlumiConn micro-crimps, or complete copper replacement.