Safe, code-compliant power for everything you plug in

For anything beyond swapping a like-for-like fixture or device, almost certainly yes. Panel changes, service upgrades, new circuits, and EV charger installs require an electrical permit in nearly every US jurisdiction, and the inspection that follows is an independent check on the work. Unpermitted work tends to surface during a home sale or an insurance claim, and at that point it often has to be opened up, corrected, and inspected anyway — at a worse time and a higher price. A licensed electrician typically handles the permit as part of the job.

Not always. The honest answer comes from an NEC load calculation, which totals the home's demand and shows how much capacity remains. Many 100-amp homes with gas heat and gas appliances can support a modest Level 2 circuit, and load-management devices can pause charging when other large loads run, letting a charger fit within existing service. That said, if the panel is already near capacity or more electrification is coming — a heat pump, an induction range, a second EV — upgrading once to 200 amps is usually more economical than working around the limit twice.

Warning signs include breakers that trip repeatedly under normal use, warmth or a burning smell at the panel, buzzing, flickering when large appliances start, and visible rust or scorching. Some panels warrant replacement on identity alone: Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels have documented histories of breakers failing to trip under fault, and many electricians and home inspectors recommend replacing them regardless of apparent condition. A panel that is merely full, by contrast, can sometimes be solved with a subpanel — an evaluation by a licensed electrician sorts one case from the other.

Both can be managed, but neither should be ignored. Knob-and-tube has no ground conductor, and its rubber insulation grows brittle with age — the real hazards are buried splices, contact with insulation, and decades of amateur modifications. Aluminum branch wiring from the 1960s and 70s expands and contracts more than copper, which loosens connections at outlets and switches over time; remediation with approved connectors, or rewiring the affected circuits, addresses the risk at each termination. Many insurers ask about both during underwriting, so remediation often matters for coverage as well as safety. An assessment of what is actually in the walls is the right first step, not automatic panic — and not automatic replacement, either.

No — this is the one area of home improvement where DIY is genuinely off the table. The service conductors feeding a panel remain energized even with the main breaker off, and a mistake there can be fatal, not merely expensive. Beyond the immediate danger, most jurisdictions restrict service work to licensed electricians, and unpermitted panel work can void insurance coverage and complicate a future sale. Swapping a light fixture is a reasonable homeowner task in many areas; anything at the panel, the meter, or the service entrance belongs with a licensed, insured professional.