Electrical Panel Home Electrification

Wire your home for electrification

Whether you’re electrifying one appliance or all of them, you’ll likely need an electrician to pre-wire your home. With some planning, most homes can electrify everything in their home on their existing panel.

Why do it?

Switching from fossil fuel appliances to electric appliances will increase the amount of electricity you use to run your home, and many will require a new electrical circuit.

When?

Before you start any home electrification projects, to save you time and money.

Who is this for?

Homeowners.

Costs and benefits

Panel upgrade upfront cost

$2,000+

Wiring upfront cost

$800–$1,500 per circuit

Difficulty

Hard, hire an electrician

Benefits

Enables all other electrification projects

Our Takeaway

Planning ahead for electrification and doing electrical work upfront can make electrification faster, easier, and cheaper for you.

Rebates and Credits

Project guide

1. Figure out which electrification projects you want to complete

Make a list of the electrification projects you want to complete. If any of these projects involve switching from a fossil fuel appliance to an electric appliance, you will likely need a new circuit. If you are switching from electric resistance to a heat pump (e.g. for your water heater), you likely already have the circuit you need for the project.

2. Determine your panel size

You can usually find your panel size by looking at the number on your main breaker (the big switch at the top of your electrical panel). Read How to determine your panel size for a step-by-step guide to finding your panel size, or consult with your electrician.

3. Figure out if you can electrify on your existing panel

If you have a panel that is 150 Amps or greater, you can usually electrify without an upgrade and without careful planning. If you have a panel that is less than 100 Amps, we recommend that you upgrade your panel. If you have a panel that is 100–150 Amps, check out our Pros and cons of a panel upgrade guide and determine if you want to electrify on your existing panel.

4. Make a plan

Particularly if you want to electrify on a smaller panel, it’s important to make a plan and to stick with it! Use our How to electrify on a 100 Amp panel guide to figure out what appliances you will use to electrify.

5. Call electricians and get quotes for pre-wiring

Get at least three quotes if you want to save money! You can find a list of the circuits that you need for electrification in our How to wire your home for electrification guide.

Make sure you discuss the following things with your electrician:

The pros and cons of pre-wiring for these electrification projects all at once, versus doing the wiring for each project individually
Whether you can electrify on your existing panel

FAQs

What are smart panels?

Smart panels manage electricity distribution in your home. They can pause unnecessary circuits to avoid overloading your panel and allow you to use smartphone or computer apps to monitor your electricity usage. They are also great if you have a home battery system, since they allow you to choose which circuits stay on in a power outage to maximize your backup power. Read more about smart panels here.

I have a 100 Amp panel. Can I electrify my home without upgrading my electrical panel?

Usually, yes. It just requires making some smart choices about which appliances you install or using circuit-sharing devices. Read our article about How to electrify on a 100 Amp panel and consult with your electrician for details.

Can I pre-wire my home for electrification?

You can easily pre-wire for your EV charger, heat pump water heater, clothes dryer, and stove/range. We don’t recommend pre-wiring for your heat pump, because you won’t know the exact type of circuit you need until you pick a heat pump with the help of your HVAC contractor. Read our article about How to wire your home for electrification for details.

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