Knowing how many amps your home has, and how many it needs, helps ensure your electrical system can safely support your appliances, lighting, and everyday power use. For many homeowners, the challenge isn’t just understanding amperage, which measures how much electrical current flows through a circuit. It’s knowing what service they currently have and whether it’s still appropriate for how their home is used today.
How to Check the Amp Size of Your Home’s Electrical Service
The first step is identifying your existing electrical service. Electrical service standards have evolved over time, and your home’s service size often reflects when it was built.
Historically:
- Before 1950: Homes often had 30-amp fuse boxes
- 1950s–early 1960s: 60-amp electrical service was common
- Since the 1960s: Circuit breaker panels have been the standard
Today, many homes still operate with 100-amp service, which is generally considered the minimum acceptable capacity. Many insurance providers require at least 100-amps, as 60-amp systems are more likely to be overloaded and overheat.
To find out what your home has, you can:
- Check the main breaker in your electrical panel. The number on the main breaker indicates the service size.
- Look at the electrical meter outside your home. Service size is sometimes printed on the meter or label.
- Inspect the service conduit size. While this isn’t always definitive, conduit size can offer clues:
- 1-inch conduit: Often supports 60-amp
- 1 ¼ inch conduit: Often supports 100-amp service
- 2-inch conduit: May support 200-amp service
This method is not foolproof, conduit can be oversized. When in doubt, a licensed electrician can confirm your service size safely and accurately.
When to Upgrade to a 200-Amp Electrical Panel
A 200-amp panel is now standard for most new homes and is often recommended for existing homes planning upgrades or future expansion.
You may need a 200-amp service if you’re:
- Remodeling or expanding your home
- Adding central air conditioning, electric ranges, or other large appliances
- Installing EV chargers or additional outlets
- Planning ahead for future electrical needs
The main advantage of a 200-amp panel is capacity. It allows for more circuits, greater flexibility, and fewer limitations as your home’s electrical demands grow.
Still Have a Fuse Box?
If your home still has a fuse box, an upgrade is strongly recommended. Fuse boxes were standard decades ago, but they don’t meet modern safety expectations or electrical needs.
Upgrading to a circuit breaker panel improves safety, reliability, and code compliance, and ensures your system can support today’s appliances and technologies.
Why Work with a Licensed Electrician
The amount of electricity your home can safely use is determined by its electrical service and panel. Upgrading or modifying that system should always be handled by a licensed electrician.
A qualified electrician can:
- Confirm your current service size
- Evaluate your home’s electrical demands
- Recommend whether an upgrade is needed
- Complete the work safely and to code
At Westphal & Company, our licensed electricians help homeowners across Southern Wisconsin and Iowa determine whether their electrical service meets their current and future needs and make upgrades when it doesn’t.
If you’re unsure how many amps your home needs, our licensed electricians can evaluate your system and walk you through your options.
