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Electrical Panel Repair & Replacement in Boise, ID

When your electrical panel keeps tripping, feels warm to the touch, or still runs on fuses, it is time to have it looked at. A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric repairs and replaces electrical panels for homeowners across Boise, Idaho, and has served the Treasure Valley since 1956. Our licensed electricians handle everything from a single failed breaker to a full 100-amp to 200-amp service upgrade, pull the required permit, and coordinate the power shutoff with Idaho Power.

Is your Boise panel tripping, warm, or out of capacity?

A neglected system doesn’t warn you before it fails. A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric has served Valley County since 1956 and backs every visit with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Call (208) 343-4445
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What your electrical panel does

Your electrical panel is the distribution point that takes power from Idaho Power and splits it into the branch circuits feeding every room and appliance in your home. The breakers inside are safety devices, cutting power the instant a circuit draws more current than its wiring can safely carry, so an undersized or worn panel is a safety issue, not just an inconvenience. That matters in Boise, where a lot of the housing in the North End, East End, and on the Benches predates modern electrical demand. A panel sized for a 1950s or 1960s household, with a few lights and one TV, was never meant to run a Level 2 EV charger, a heat pump, and a hot tub at the same time.

Signs your Boise home needs electrical panel repair or replacement

A few warning signs show up again and again in older Boise homes, and most of them mean the panel needs attention now rather than later. Watch for these:
  • A fuse box or an original 100-amp panel in an older North End, East End, or Bench home
  • Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco panels, common in 1960s and 1970s Boise builds and a known fire risk
  • Breakers that trip whenever the AC runs at the same time as the oven, dryer, or microwave
  • A panel that feels warm, buzzes, or shows scorch marks or a burning smell
  • Lights that flicker or dim when the furnace or a window AC kicks on
  • No spare slots left for the circuits a remodel, shop, or EV charger needs
A burning smell or visible scorching is an emergency. Turn off what you safely can and call A-1 right away.

When to upgrade from 100-amp to 200-amp service in Boise

A 200-amp service upgrade makes sense once your home’s electrical demand outgrows the original panel. Many homes in the North End, Boise Bench, and other established neighborhoods still run 100-amp service or the original fuse box, sized for a 1960s or 1970s household, not for an EV charger in the garage, a heat pump, and a hot tub on the patio all at once. A 200-amp panel roughly doubles the available capacity and leaves room for future circuits. Idaho requires an electrical permit for a panel change, issued through the Idaho Division of Building Safety, and A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric pulls and handles it for you.

What does a 100A to 200A panel upgrade cost?

In Boise, most 100-amp to 200-amp panel upgrades cost $2,500 to $5,000, depending on the difficulty of the job. The final price comes down to how the existing service is run, the condition of the meter base, and whether the panel has to move. Two things are worth knowing before you call anyone. First, every panel upgrade requires a permit, and A-1 pulls and handles all of it. Second, the realistic timeline is about 10 business days, because it depends on Idaho Power coordinating the disconnect and reconnect, not just on the crew. These are typical ranges, not a quote, and every estimate is free.

Why Boise homeowners choose A-1 for electrical panel work

A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric has been a licensed, bonded, and insured Idaho contractor since 1956, a 15-time Dave Lennox Award winner and 2025 Top 25 Contractor in North America. Every panel upgrade is done by licensed electricians, permitted, and inspected, so the work is safe and code-compliant the first time. We are BBB A+ rated, an Angie’s List Super Service Award winner, and active in the community, supporting the Boys and Girls Club, Boise State Broncos programs, and local high school teams. That mix of a seven-decade track record and licensed, permitted work is what customers point to when they recommend us.

Why you should never DIY electrical panel work

Skip the DIY on panel work. The panel is one of the few points in a home that stays energized even after the main breaker is off, because the service lugs ahead of the main stay live until Idaho Power disconnects them. A mistake there can be fatal, and unpermitted work can void your insurance and fail at resale. Idaho law requires a licensed electrician and a permit for panel changes, and A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric handles both.

Ready for a safer, higher-capacity panel in Boise?

Call (208) 343-4445
Schedule Online

Electrical panel service area

When your electrical panel keeps tripping, feels warm to the touch, or still runs on fuses, it is time to have it looked at. A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric repairs and replaces electrical panels for homeowners across Boise, Idaho, and has served the Treasure Valley since 1956. Our licensed electricians handle everything from a single failed breaker to a full 100-amp to 200-amp service upgrade, pull the required permit, and coordinate the power shutoff with Idaho Power.

Upgrade Electric Panel in Meridian, ID

Frequently Asked Questions

In Boise, most 100-amp to 200-amp panel upgrades cost $2,500 to $5,000, depending on how difficult the job is. Every upgrade needs a permit, which A-1 pulls and handles, and the timeline is usually about 10 business days because it depends on Idaho Power. Every estimate is free.

Yes. Idaho requires an electrical permit for any panel replacement or service upgrade, issued through the Idaho Division of Building Safety. A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric pulls the permit, does the work with licensed electricians, and coordinates the inspection, so you do not have to manage any of it.

The panel swap itself takes about a day, but plan on roughly 10 business days start to finish. The schedule hinges on Idaho Power coordinating the power disconnect and reconnect, plus permit and inspection timing, not just crew availability. A-1 keeps you posted at each step.

Often, yes. Many homes in Boise’s North End, East End, and on the Benches still run their original 100-amp service or a fuse box built for a mid-century household. If you are adding central AC, an EV charger, or a hot tub, A-1 can check whether your existing service has the capacity or needs a 200-amp upgrade.

They can be. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels, common in 1960s and 1970s Boise homes, have a documented history of breakers that fail to trip during an overload, which is a fire risk. A-1 recommends replacing them with a modern 200-amp breaker panel, even when the panel looks fine.

Yes. A-1 Heating, Air Conditioning & Electric regularly upgrades Boise panels to handle Level 2 EV chargers, hot tubs, heat pumps, and shop circuits. A licensed electrician checks your available capacity first, recommends a 200-amp upgrade if you need it, then installs the dedicated circuit, permitted and inspected.

Most modern breaker panels last 25 to 40 years. Older fuse boxes and discontinued brands like Federal Pacific should be replaced sooner, regardless of age, because they are known safety risks. If your panel is original to a Boise home built before the mid-1990s, it is worth having A-1 take a look.

Both. A single failed breaker, a loose connection, or a corroded lug can often be repaired. When a panel is undersized, damaged, or a known fire-risk brand, replacement is the safer call. A licensed A-1 electrician inspects it and tells you honestly which one you actually need.