100-Amp vs 200-Amp Panel
EV charger, heat pump, induction range, hot tub — modern loads are colliding with the 100-amp panels most pre-2000 Utah homes were built with. Here's when 100 amps is genuinely fine and when it's not.
Keep the 100-Amp Service
Enough for many homes — with smart load management
- Zero or low cost — a proper NEC load calculation is cheap and often proves 100A is adequate
- Load-management devices (EV chargers that throttle, smart splitters) let one big new load fit without a service upgrade
- Panel swap without service upgrade ($1,500–$2,500) solves age/safety issues — breathing room is a separate question
- Gets tight fast when you stack loads: EV + heat pump + electric range usually pushes past the calc
- Older 100A panels (FPE Stab-Lok, Zinsco, pre-1990 split-bus) are insurance and fire concerns regardless of capacity
- Each future load addition needs re-evaluation — you're managing a budget, not buying headroom
Gas-heated homes adding one modest load, smaller square footage, anyone using a load-managed EV charger, tight budgets with a healthy existing panel.
Upgrade to 200-Amp Service
The headroom that ends the conversation
- Handles EV charging, heat pump, induction range, and a hot tub simultaneously without math anxiety
- New panel = new breakers, proper AFCI/GFCI protection, clean labeling, and an insurance-friendly inspection
- Adds resale value — buyers and inspectors increasingly flag 100A as a deficiency in 2026
- Whole-home surge protection and generator interlock become easy add-ons during the same job
- Real cost: $3,500–$6,500 in Utah depending on meter location, mast work, and utility coordination
- Requires utility scheduling and a day without power
- Overkill if the home is gas-heated and you're adding nothing electric
EV owners (or anyone who will be within 5 years), heat-pump conversions, hot tubs and shops, homes with aging or recalled panels, and pre-1990 homes still on 60–100A service.
Our Recommendation
Start with the load calculation — it's the honest tiebreaker and any electrician quoting a 200A upgrade without one is guessing with your money. As a rule of thumb: adding one electric load to a gas home, 100A with load management usually works; adding two or more (EV + heat pump is the classic Utah combo), go to 200A once and stop thinking about it. And if the existing panel is an FPE Stab-Lok or Zinsco, the upgrade decision is already made for you — those are replacement candidates at any amperage.
Common Questions
How do I know if my panel is one of the dangerous brands?▼
Open the panel door and read the label: Federal Pacific (FPE Stab-Lok) and Zinsco/Sylvania-Zinsco breakers have documented failure-to-trip rates and many insurers surcharge or decline them. Pushmatic and pre-1990 split-bus panels aren't recalled but are past design life. We photograph and identify the panel during any electrical visit, free.
Can I charge an EV on a 100-amp panel?▼
Often yes — with a load calculation and the right charger. A 40–48A charger may not fit, but a 24–32A charger or a load-managing unit (it throttles when the house is busy) usually does, and still adds 25–35 miles of range per hour. That's enough for most commuters and defers the $4,000+ service upgrade.
What does the $3,500–$6,500 for a 200A upgrade include?▼
New 200A panel and breakers, new meter base if required, mast/weatherhead work, grounding upgrades to current code, utility disconnect/reconnect coordination, permit, and inspection. The spread mostly comes down to meter location and whether the service entrance needs rework — we quote it fixed-price after seeing it.
Still on the fence?
Free in-home estimates with both/all options quoted side-by-side. No pressure, no obligation — just the numbers for your home.
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