December Brings the Highest Electrical Demand of the Year

Between cold weather and holiday living, December becomes “peak load season” for most homes. Your panel is the traffic controller for everything powered in your house — and in December, it’s working overtime.

• Space heaters

• Holiday lights

• Heated blankets

• Ovens and stovetops

• Laundry appliances

• Furnaces and fireplace blowers

• Inflatable yard décor

• TVs, chargers, and endless electronics

All running at once = heavy demand.

⚡ What Happens When a Panel Is Struggling

Panels are designed to handle a certain amount of electrical load. But older panels, outdated breakers, or loose internal connections struggle during high-demand months.

Common warning signs include:

• Flickering or dimming lights

• Breakers tripping more often

• Outlets or switches feeling warm

• Buzzing sounds from the panel

• Burning or “hot plastic” smells

• Certain appliances causing lights to droop

These signs often show up first in December — not because the problem started now, but because the load finally revealed it.

🔌 Why Older Panels Are at the Highest Risk

Homes built before the early 2000s often have panels that weren’t designed for today’s usage. Add holiday décor + winter appliances to a panel already near capacity, and you get overloaded circuits and constant tripping.

This is especially true for:

• 100-amp panels

• Homes with electric heat

• Homes with hot tubs, EV chargers, or additions not originally planned

• Panels 25+ years old

• Homes with known problem brands (Federal Pacific, Stab-Lok, Zinsco, Challenger)

🛠️ What a Panel Inspection Can Prevent

A simple panel inspection can:

• Identify loose or overheated breakers

• Check for worn bus bars

• Locate overloaded circuits

• Spot dangerous wiring issues

• Confirm if your panel is sized correctly for your home

• Prevent holiday or winter power outages

• Reduce fire risk during the driest time of year

A small fix now can prevent costly damage later.

🎄 Don’t Let Holiday Power Problems Ruin Your December

The last thing homeowners want is flickering lights on movie night, tripping breakers during dinner, or losing heat because a breaker failed. A quick check today keeps everything running smoothly through winter break and holiday hosting.

📞 Call Bowman Electric — We’ll Make Sure Your Home Is Winter-Ready

If you’re noticing ANY electrical changes this month, your panel may be telling you it’s time for a checkup. From full panel inspections to upgrades and load calculations, we’ll make sure your home is safely powered through the entire holiday season. Call or message us today to get on the schedule!