Panel repair: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What panel repair is

Panel repair fixes faults inside or around the electrical panel: bad breakers, loose connections, burn marks, corroded parts and damaged bus bars. The electrician opens the panel with the main breaker off, treats the service lugs as live unless the utility has disconnected service, finds the heat or fault source, and replaces the affected parts. Call when the panel shows scorching, smells of heat, makes buzzing or crackling sounds, or has breakers that trip or run warm.

Signs you need it

  • Brown, black or melted plastic around a breaker, a terminal or the panel's bus area
  • A burning smell, a buzzing or crackling sound, or a warm panel cover
  • Breakers that are warm to the touch, do not seat firmly, or will not hold a reset
  • Rust or green corrosion on the bus, the neutral bar or the wire terminals
  • The panel shows signs of water entry, a leak above it, or a damaged cover
  • Breakers of different brands are mixed in the panel, or the panel has double-tapped breakers

What the pro does

  • Turn off the main breaker, test to confirm the load side is dead, and treat the service lugs above it as live unless the utility has disconnected service
  • Inspect the bus bars, the neutral and ground bars, and each breaker terminal for heat, corrosion and loose connections
  • Measure the suspect breakers and their circuits with the correct instruments to confirm the fault
  • Replace damaged breakers with the matching type and rating for the panel, and remake loose connections to the torque specification
  • Repair or replace the damaged bus, neutral or ground hardware, and cut back any heat-damaged wire ends
  • Restore power, test each circuit, and document the findings and the parts replaced before the cover is closed

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Whether the fault is a single breaker or a damaged bus bar, which changes the repair size
  • Panel make, model and whether matching breakers are available
  • Extent of heat damage, including whether the panel needs full replacement
  • Whether the wire feeding the panel or the service entrance also needs repair
  • Whether mixed breaker brands or double-tapped circuits need correction
  • Permit and inspection requirements for the repair

What a written quote should spell out

  • Each breaker or part replaced, with its rating and its match to the panel
  • The heat damage found, with photos, and whether the panel is safe to keep
  • Any connection remade and the torque check performed
  • Whether the wire or the service entrance was inspected
  • Testing and documentation performed before the cover is closed

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you show me the heat damage before you replace anything?
  • Is the panel safe to keep, or should it be replaced?
  • Are the breakers you install listed for this panel model?
  • Will you check the bus bars and the neutral and ground connections?
  • How will you find out why the breaker or the bus overheated?
  • Will you give me a written list of the parts replaced and the tests performed?

Red flags

  • Replaces a breaker and closes the panel without checking the bus or the terminals
  • Says heat damage is normal, or that the panel can be kept without a look at the bus
  • Uses non-matching breakers because they fit the slot
  • Leaves charred or melted wire insulation at the terminals
  • Does not turn off the service before opening the panel

What you can do yourself

Looking at the panel from the outside, noting burn marks or a smell, and taking photos for the electrician are safe to do. Do not open the panel cover, touch the bus, or try to reset a breaker that is hot or smells. Opening the panel is for a licensed electrician, because the service side stays energized even when the main breaker is off.

Licenses and permits

Panel repair is commonly done by licensed electrical contractors, and repairs that replace breakers or bus parts are often treated as electrical work that needs a license. Check with your state or local licensing agency or building department to confirm what your repair requires.

Panel repair questions

Is a panel with burn marks always a replacement?

Not always, but burn marks mean something overheated. The electrician checks the bus, the terminals and the breakers and decides whether repair is enough. A panel with widespread heat damage is often replaced.

Why do I see brown marks on the breaker?

Brown or black marks usually mean a loose or overloaded connection that has heated. The breaker, the terminal or the wire may need to be replaced. Have it checked before the next trip.

Can a panel fire happen even when breakers are off?

Yes. The service side of the panel and the main lugs stay energized when the main breaker is off. That is why a licensed electrician must open the panel, after the utility or service has been isolated.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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