Panel Upgrades in Potomac, 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 Potomac, 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.
Potomac is dominated by large single-family estates with high electrical demands: indoor pools, geothermal and dual-zone HVAC, exterior lighting on long driveways, and increasing demand for multi-vehicle EV charging. Many of the 1960s and 1970s houses off Falls Road and River Road in Bradley Farms, Falconhurst and Glen Hills are still on their original 100- or 150-amp services with subpanels added piecemeal over the decades, so a single addition or pool heater can push the whole house past capacity.
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 Potomac
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 Potomac
Lots here are also deep and heavily wooded, which means long underground runs to gates, guest houses, barns and detached garages, plus outages from tree limbs on the overhead laterals near the C&O Canal and Cabin John Regional Park.
Potomac Housing Stock
1980s-2000s custom estates plus an active teardown-rebuild market. Older Potomac homes from the 1960s-70s sometimes show aluminum branch wiring; modern builds are 400-amp copper minimum.
Permits & Utility Coordination in Potomac
Permits route through Montgomery County DPS. Most Potomac estates are well set back with long driveways, which means long underground service runs, conduit-protected feeders to outbuildings, and careful trenching around mature landscaping.
Common Panel Upgrades & Heavy-Ups Projects in Potomac
- 400-amp service upgrades
Neighborhoods servedRiver Falls · Bradley Farms · Falconhurst · Glen Hills
ZIP codes20854
What's Included
Every job in Potomac 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 Potomac - 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 Potomac
Often booked alongside panel upgrades & heavy-ups.
Ready to Get Started in Potomac?
Free written quotes. Licensed & insured. Same-week scheduling for most projects.