Storm Season Prompts Collin County Homeowners to Replace Outdated Electrical Panels

Master electrician explains why 1970s-era panels pose fire risks and what to replace them with

McKinney, Texas, United States, 3rd Jan 2026 -- As North Texas enters another severe weather season, electrical safety experts are urging homeowners with aging electrical panels to take action before storm damage reveals dangerous flaws in their homes infrastructure. Local contractors including ABR Electric have observed a significant uptick in panel upgrade requests, particularly from homeowners discovering their decades-old equipment poses serious fire and safety risks.

If you have a 40 or 50 year old panel--Federal Pacific, Zinsco, Bulldog, Pushmatic--they all need to go, explains James Adams, master electrician at ABR Electric. Theyre the 70s versions of the cars that I grew up with that I hated--Vega, Gremlin, Pinto. I drove several of those. So my point to you is if youve got a Pinto panel in your house, make a plan and change it.

The Hidden Danger in Your Breaker Box

The problem with these vintage panels goes beyond age. Adams points to fundamental design flaws that create fire hazards. The busing--these two bars that run the whole length of the panel up to the main breaker that feeds power in--the aluminum that they designed it with is super soft. It doesnt have a hard finish or coating, and so it scratches and arcs.

The connection mechanism compounds the problem. If you look at these clips, this is just a tension clip. Theres no real positive connection here, Adams explains. If the busing is pitted at all and these clips are sprung or loose, you have this cycle of arcing where Ive pulled these out and this whole bottom section is burned away. The design flaw for you to understand as a homeowner is the way the breakers connect to get power out of the panel and put it out into your house is flawed. Its not positive. Thats your bottom line.

Warning Signs Homeowners Shouldnt Ignore

Adams identifies clear indicators that a panel needs immediate replacement. If your panel is humming, if you touch the outside and its hot, it needs to go.

He also cautions against the high-pressure sales tactics some homeowners encounter. A lot of times youll have an electrician or a company thats super salesy and youre like, this guy says I should replace my panel and Im going to die in my sleep because of it, and it feels a little manipulative--also a lot manipulative. I dont want you just to say, oh Ill spend a bazillion dollars because some guy with a tool belt told me to. Im a guy with a tool belt. I dont like that.

The Square D QO Solution

When it comes to replacement options, Adams has a clear recommendation. Square D has two main brands in the residential market--they have a QO and a Homeline. Bang for your buck, get the QO.

The difference comes down to construction quality. Square D QO has tin-plated copper. The outside has some tin, but underneath, the skeleton of the busing is copper--super hard compared to the soft aluminum in the other. These two legs or clips are tight and they snap around this flat bus. Theyre a lot harder to put in and a lot harder to take out.

Adams contrasts this with the problematic older panels: That connection is so soft. Look at all the movement. Versus here--solid. The QO panel has a lifetime warranty. In thinking back since the early 90s, in terms of a bad breaker, I may have replaced maybe one or two over the course of almost 30 years. In those other panels, lots of other brands, Ive replaced dozens and dozens.

Plan Now, Save Later

For homeowners with Zinsco or Federal Pacific panels, Adams recommends a proactive approach. I would just start collecting up some quotes--get two or three at least--and then start saving. Will it still work? It is. But for most things like your water heater, you can save for it and do it when you choose to do it, or you can do it on an emergency basis and pay somebody overtime when it happens, when its inconvenient.

He speaks from personal experience: I had a water heater go out Thanksgiving once, the day before, with 30 people in my house. Had the water heater blow up out of the top. And if Im super honest, it was already starting to leak and I just thought, oh well be okay for another couple of months. Dont do that. If youve got one of these, plan to change it, get some quotes, and then budget for it and do it on your terms.

The bottom line, according to Adams: If you put in the right panel and do it once, youre going to be done with it. You get to have a great panel and not think about it.

About ABR Electric

ABR Electric serves the McKinney and Collin County area with comprehensive electrical services including panel upgrades, surge protection installation, and storm-hardened electrical system design. For more information about electrical panel modernization or storm preparedness assessments, contact ABR Electric.

Contact Details

Organization: ABR Electric Square D

Contact Person: James Adams

Website: https://squared-by-schneiderelectric.pages.dev/

Email: Send Email [https://dashboard.kingnewswire.com/release-contact/36816]

Address: HWY380

City: McKinney

State: Texas

Country: United States

Release Id: 03012636816

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