Cheektowaga & Western New York

Federal Pacific panel in your basement?

If your home was built before the 1990s, you might have one. These panels have a known problem, and a lot of insurers around here won't cover a home that still has one. You don't have to guess, and you don't have to pay to find out.

Want us to come take a look? (716) 510-4227

Licensed & insured

The quote is the price

No pitch, no pressure

Have us check your panel.

Tell us what you've got. We pull the cover, takes a couple minutes, and tell you straight. No charge.

Name Phone

What do you need done? Email (optional) By checking this box, you agree to receive text messages related to your request, including follow-ups and appointment updates. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out. Reply HELP for help. See our Privacy Policy and Terms.

If your home was built before the 1990s, you might have one. Here's why it matters.

These panels have a known problem. The breaker is supposed to shut the power off when a circuit overloads, and on these it doesn't always do it. That is how electrical fires start. A lot of insurance companies around here won't cover a home that still has one.

What it means for you

Your safety

The breaker is supposed to catch a problem before it turns into a fire, and with these panels that protection isn't reliable.

Your insurance

More companies are refusing to write or renew policies on homes with these panels, so you could get dropped or have a claim denied.

Your home's value

If you go to sell, the inspector will flag it and it can stall the sale.

If your panel says Zinsco or Sylvania

If your panel is labeled Zinsco, GTE-Sylvania, or Sylvania, you have the same kind of problem. The breakers can fail to trip, and the bus bar can corrode until a breaker stays live even in the off position. It is not more expensive to replace than a Federal Pacific panel, so it is the same conversation either way.

How do I know which one I have?

You can usually tell from the label and the breakers, but you don't have to figure this out yourself.

Older breaker panel painted over, with taped-on handwritten circuit labels — Decades of paint and taped-on labels. If your panel looks like this, it is worth a free look inside.

Federal Pacific

The panel says Federal Pacific, FPE, or Stab-Lok.
The breakers often have a red stripe or tab.
Common in homes built before the 1990s.

Zinsco

The panel says Zinsco, GTE-Sylvania, or Sylvania.
The breakers are often bright, mismatched colors.
Same era, same kind of problem.

You don't have to figure this out yourself. We pull the cover and tell you which one you've got, and whether it's the kind insurers flag. You'll know before your renewal or your closing.

What it costs to replace

Here is the honest range for around here, and what moves the price. Most swaps are a one-day job.

Typical installed pricing in Western New York. Your exact number comes from the free look, and the quote is the price.
Scenario	Typical installed (WNY)
Straight same-size panel replacement Federal Pacific or Zinsco, swapped for a modern panel	$2,000 to $4,500
Replacement that becomes a full 200-amp service upgrade Panel plus the meter and service brought up to code at the same time, the common case in older homes	$5,500 to $7,000+
Add-ons that move the price Meter, mast, or service-entrance work; an outdoor emergency disconnect (about $250 to $450); old-wiring remediation	Varies

Zinsco is not more expensive to replace than Federal Pacific. Older homes here often need the meter and service brought up to date at the same time, and when that is the case we'll show you both numbers so you can decide. See how a 200-amp service upgrade works and what a panel upgrade costs.

You don't have to guess

The free look

You don't have to guess, and you don't have to pay to find out. We pull the cover off your panel, takes a couple minutes, and tell you straight. Either it should be replaced or it's fine and you can stop thinking about it. If it's fine, that's the end of it. No charge, no pitch. We will not talk you into a job you don't need.

If it needs replacing

One price, up front, and that's what you pay. If we run into something inside the wall, we stop and check with you first. No surprise bills. Done to code and inspected, and your insurance is happy again. Most swaps are a one-day job.

If you got a letter from your insurer

New York carriers send a non-renewal notice 45 to 60 days before your policy ends, so if a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel is the reason, you have a real deadline. Get us out before it runs out and you'll have the panel handled and the paperwork in hand.

The quote is the price.

You approve the number before anything happens, and you never pay for work you didn't sign off on.

Keep Reading

Related electrical work.

Not sure we reach you? See the towns we serve around Cheektowaga.

Want us to come take a look?

Tell us what your panel says and we'll come pull the cover. Takes a couple minutes, and you'll know straight where you stand.

Name Phone

Service needed Email (optional)

Licensed & insured The quote is the price Cheektowaga & WNY only

Call (716) 510-4227