Electrical Panel Upgrade

Request a Free Estimate
Request a Free Estimate

Electrical Panel Upgrade & Replacement in Fairfax, VA & Northern Virginia

Your electrical panel is the heart of your home's electrical system — and when it can no longer keep pace with modern appliances, EV chargers, home offices, and smart home technology, the results range from frustrating to genuinely dangerous. Rojas Electric provides reliable, fully permitted electrical panel upgrades and complete panel replacements for homeowners throughout Fairfax, VA and all of Northern Virginia. As licensed master electricians, we handle everything from the initial phone assessment through Fairfax County permitting, the installation, the required county inspection, and final sign-off — so you know the work is done correctly and on record.

What sets Rojas Electric apart is our commitment to honest assessment. We will inspect your current panel, review your electrical loads, and tell you directly whether you need an upgrade, a full replacement, or simply a panel inspection to confirm everything is in order. We will never recommend a panel upgrade you do not actually need. And when an upgrade is required, we handle it cleanly, efficiently, and to the exact specifications Fairfax County code requires.

EV Charger Installation Services We Offer in Fairfax, VA & Northern Virginia

100-Amp to 200-Amp Panel Upgrade

The most common upgrade for Northern Virginia homes — increasing your panel's service capacity to handle modern electrical loads including EV chargers, updated HVAC systems, home additions, and high-efficiency appliances.

200-Amp to 400-Amp Service Upgrade

For larger homes, properties with multiple dwelling units, or homeowners adding significant electrical loads such as whole-home battery backup or large workshop equipment.

Full Electrical Panel Replacement

Complete replacement of old, failing, or hazardous panels — including Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, Zinsco, and Pushmatic panels that are known fire risks and no longer code-compliant.

Subpanel Installation

A subpanel is the ideal solution for adding capacity to a detached garage, basement workshop, home addition, or ADU without requiring a full service upgrade.

Main Breaker & Circuit Breaker Replacement

When individual breakers are failing, tripping without cause, or refusing to reset, we replace them correctly — using the right breaker type and rating for your specific panel brand.

Span Smart Panel Installation

For homeowners who want the most advanced option, we install Span smart panels as a complete, modern replacement for a traditional panel — with circuit-level energy monitoring and smartphone control.

Meter Base & Service Mast Replacement

When the utility connection or meter base needs replacement as part of a service upgrade, we coordinate with Dominion Energy for a complete, code-compliant service renewal.

Whole-Home Surge Protection Installation

A whole-home surge protector installed at the panel protects every appliance, device, and system in your home from voltage spikes — one of the most cost-effective electrical upgrades available.

Signs Your Electrical Panel Needs Upgrading in Fairfax, VA & Northern Virginia

Breakers Are Tripping Repeatedly

If circuit breakers trip regularly under normal household loads, your panel is overloaded. Resetting the breaker is not a fix — chronic tripping means your panel cannot safely handle your home's electrical demand.

Your Panel Is Over 25 Years Old

Panels from the 1980s and early 1990s were designed for far lighter electrical loads than today's homes require. They also lack modern safety features including arc fault and ground fault protection.

You Are Adding an EV Charger

Level 2 EV chargers require a dedicated 240V circuit. Many Northern Virginia homes built before 2000 do not have the panel capacity to add this circuit without an upgrade.

You Have a Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or Pushmatic Panel

These panel brands have documented safety deficiencies and are not up to current electrical code. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers have a well-documented history of failing to trip during overloads — a direct fire risk.

Burning Smell or Scorch Marks Around the Panel

A burning smell near your electrical panel, scorch marks around the panel door, or discoloration on breakers are emergency warning signs. Turn off the main breaker and call a licensed electrician immediately.

Lights Flicker Across Multiple Rooms

Flickering across multiple rooms simultaneously is a sign of an overloaded or failing panel — not a light bulb problem.

You Are Planning a Major Renovation or Addition

A kitchen remodel, basement finish, or home addition almost always requires a panel assessment and often an upgrade to support the new electrical load.

Your Home Insurance Requires an Upgrade

Many Virginia homeowner insurance providers will not insure homes with older panels — particularly Federal Pacific and Zinsco — or will charge significantly higher premiums.

  • A properly sized, modern electrical panel dramatically reduces the risk of electrical fires, arc faults, and overloaded circuits — which are among the leading causes of residential fires in the United States.

  • Today's Northern Virginia homes run EV chargers, smart home systems, high-efficiency HVAC, multiple home offices, and large appliances simultaneously. A modern 200-amp panel is built for this. A 1980s 100-amp panel is not.

  • All electrical panel work in Fairfax County requires a permit and a county inspection. Rojas Electric handles both on your behalf. Your upgraded panel is on record with the county — fully inspected and code-compliant.

  • A modern, inspected panel can qualify your home for better homeowner's insurance rates in Virginia and removes the risk of coverage being denied or cancelled

  • Whether you are planning to add an EV charger, solar panels, a battery backup system, or a Span smart panel, a proper panel upgrade ensures your electrical service can support all of it.

  • A permitted, inspected panel upgrade is a recorded improvement on your Fairfax County property record — reassuring home buyers and passing home inspections.

Benefits of a Professional EV Charger Installation in Fairfax, VA & Northern Virginia

FAQs:

Electrical Panel Upgrade in Fairfax, VA & Northern Virginia

Most 100-amp to 200-amp panel upgrades in Fairfax and Northern Virginia range from $1,800 to $3,500 depending on the scope of work, panel location, whether the meter base requires replacement, and whether utility coordination is needed. We provide transparent, itemized written estimates before any work begins.
Yes, without exception. Virginia state law and Fairfax County building code require an electrical permit for all panel replacements and upgrades. An unpermitted panel upgrade is a code violation that must be disclosed in a home sale, can complicate homeowner's insurance, and may require the work to be undone and redone correctly. Rojas Electric handles the permit application and required inspection as part of every panel project.
Most panel upgrades are completed in one full day. Your home's power will be off for most of that day. If utility coordination with Dominion Energy is required for a service upgrade, additional scheduling may extend the timeline. We coordinate the outage window with you in advance.
It depends on your current panel capacity and existing loads. During our free phone assessment, we can usually determine this without a site visit. Many Fairfax-area homes have sufficient capacity to add an EV charger. Those that do not can have the panel upgrade and charger installation coordinated as a single project.
Federal Pacific Electric panels were installed in millions of American homes from the 1950s through the 1980s. Multiple investigations have found that their breakers frequently fail to trip during overloads — creating a fire risk. They are no longer manufactured or code-compliant. If your Fairfax home has a Federal Pacific panel, replacement is strongly recommended.
A panel upgrade replaces the electrical panel box inside your home. A service upgrade also increases the amperage of the electrical service entering your home from the utility — requiring coordination with Dominion Energy and sometimes a meter base replacement. Some projects require both.
In most cases, yes. We actively coordinate these projects together when both are needed to minimize the number of days your power is interrupted and to reduce overall project cost.
The Span smart panel is an excellent choice for homeowners who have or plan to add solar, battery backup, or EV charging. If you have no plans for any of these, a standard upgrade is typically a better value. We give you an honest recommendation based on your specific situation.
Zinsco panels are labeled 'Zinsco,' 'Zinsco-Sylvania,' or 'GTE-Sylvania' on the panel door. Like Federal Pacific panels, Zinsco breakers have documented failure rates and are not code-compliant. Take a photo and we can identify it during your phone assessment.
A modern, well-maintained electrical panel can last 25 to 40 years. However, panels showing warning signs, panels from known hazardous brands, and panels that cannot support your home's current needs should not wait for a scheduled replacement. A safety inspection from Rojas Electric tells you exactly where your panel stands.

Ready to Upgrade Your Electrical Panel in Fairfax, VA?

Free estimates, honest assessments, and full Fairfax County permitting handled for you. Call today or request an estimate online.

Call Now
Call Now
Request a Free Estimate
Request a Free Estimate