Panel Upgrades in Gaithersburg, Maryland
200-amp upgrades, heavy-ups, sub-panels, and Federal Pacific & Zinsco replacements - done to code and inspected.
DC Electrical Contractor #EM-40-0001168 · MD Master Electrician #7987 · VA Class A Contractor #2705198087 · EPA & OSHA Certified
Pirro Electric handles panel upgrades for homeowners, businesses, and property managers in Gaithersburg, MD. Work is scoped on site, quoted in writing, permitted, and inspected before we call it done. Typical scope: 100-amp to 200-amp service upgrades ("heavy-ups"), federal pacific stab-lok panel replacement, and zinsco panel replacement.
Gaithersburg has one of the most varied building stocks in Montgomery County. Olde Towne Gaithersburg has early-1900s wood-frame houses with knob-and-tube remnants and later add-on wiring that was never brought up to a real standard.
When You Actually Need a Panel Upgrade
A 'heavy-up' - moving from 100-amp to 200-amp service - is one of the most common requests we get. You typically need one if you're adding an EV charger, a heat pump or mini-split, a hot tub, an addition, or if your existing panel is full and there's no room for new circuits.
If your panel is a Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or a Zinsco, the answer is simpler: replace it. Both panels have documented histories of breakers failing to trip during overcurrent - a known fire hazard and one that most insurers now flag during inspection.
Why Pirro Electric for Panel Work
Panel work is some of the highest-stakes residential electrical you can hire out - bad workmanship can quietly create fire hazards for years. We're licensed master electricians in MD, DC, and VA, fully insured, and we pull permits on every panel swap. No exceptions.
More detail on scope and pricing: our full panel upgrades & heavy-ups page or the electrical panel upgrade cost in the dmv guide.
What Affects the Price of Panel Upgrades & Heavy-Ups in Gaithersburg
Every quote is written after an on-site look. These are the variables that move the number:
- Service size (100A → 200A vs. 200A → 400A)
- Overhead vs. underground service drop
- Meter base and service entrance condition
- Panel location (basement vs. exterior wall)
- Permit and county inspection fees
- Whether your current grounding system needs upgrades
Local Conditions We Work Around in Gaithersburg
Montgomery Village, built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, has whole clusters of townhomes with aluminum branch wiring and original panels, some Federal Pacific, now decades past their design life. Quince Orchard's larger single-family homes commonly still run on 100-amp services that were fine before central air, home offices, and EV chargers all landed on the same panel. Rio, Washingtonian, Crown, and Watkins Mill represent the newer end: mixed-use buildings and retail spaces that need frequent tenant fit-outs as businesses turn over. All of it runs through Montgomery County DPS permitting, with Pepco as the utility for service and meter work. Being headquartered here in Gaithersburg, this is the territory we know best.
Gaithersburg Housing Stock
A mix of every era: 1900s Olde Towne, 1960s-70s split-levels, 1990s Kentlands new-urbanist, 2000s Lakelands and Quince Orchard custom homes, and 2010s-plus Crown and Watkins Mill mid-rise. Aluminum branch wiring shows up in scattered 1970s subdivisions.
Permits & Utility Coordination in Gaithersburg
The City of Gaithersburg has its own permit office running in parallel with Montgomery County DPS, so we file based on the address. Crown and Washingtonian Center commercial spaces require landlord coordination and often after-hours work windows.
Common Panel Upgrades & Heavy-Ups Projects in Gaithersburg
- Service upgrades in Montgomery Village townhomes
- EV charger installs in Kentlands & Lakelands
Neighborhoods servedKentlands · Lakelands · Rio / Washingtonian · Olde Towne Gaithersburg
ZIP codes20877 · 20878 · 20879 · 20882 · 20883 · 20884 · 20885 · 20886
What's Included
Every job in Gaithersburg comes scoped, permitted, and inspected - no shortcuts.
- 100-amp to 200-amp service upgrades ("heavy-ups")
- Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panel replacement
- Zinsco panel replacement
- Main breaker panel and meter base swaps
- Sub-panel installation for additions and detached structures
- Whole-home surge protection at the panel
- Panel relabeling and circuit mapping
- AFCI and GFCI breaker upgrades
Panel Upgrades & Heavy-Ups in Gaithersburg - Common Questions
What Customers Say
Excerpts from verified Google reviews of Pirro Electric.
"If you're thinking of going with Pirro - do it. You won't be sorry. I run a medium-sized HOA and wouldn't use any other company for our electric."
Amanda S.
Google Review · HOA Board Director"We use Pirro across our portfolio of 50+ commercial retail buildings. Excellent work, responsive, priced competitively, and they get it right the first time."
Timothy M.
Google Review · Commercial Property Manager"Pirro re-wired my whole townhouse, updated the panel, and replaced every outlet and switch. Professional, friendly, and on time. Couldn't ask for a better company."
JMW
Google Review · Verified HomeownerNearby Areas We Serve
Same panel upgrades & heavy-ups crew, next town over.
Related Services in Gaithersburg
Often booked alongside panel upgrades & heavy-ups.
Ready to Get Started in Gaithersburg?
Free written quotes. Licensed & insured. Same-week scheduling for most projects.