100-Amp vs. 200-Amp Service: Which Does Your Arlington Home Need?

Your home often tells you when its panel is struggling. A few clear signs point to a service that can't keep up. Watch for these warnings.

• Frequent breaker trips: If you reset breakers often, your panel is overloaded. It shuts down to protect your wiring, but it's a warning sign.
• Dimming or flickering lights: Lights that dip when the AC or microwave starts mean a voltage drop. A big appliance is pulling more than the system can give.
• Buzzing or humming from the panel: Strange noises can point to a loose connection or failing breaker. This is a safety hazard that needs attention fast.
• An old 60-amp fuse box: Some older homes still run on 60-amp fuse boxes. These need an upgrade to a modern 100-amp or 200-amp panel.
• Relying on subpanels: Added subpanels often mean your main panel ran out of room. A 200-amp upgrade can clean that up with one panel.

A 200-amp service opens the door to modern, high-draw equipment. These are the loads that often push a 100-amp panel past its limit. Here's what the extra capacity supports.

• EV chargers: A Level 2 charger needs its own 40 to 60 amp circuit. That heavy, steady draw is often too much for a 100-amp panel.
• Large cooling and heating: Central AC, electric heat, and on-demand water heaters pull serious power. A 200-amp service handles them with room to spare.
• Multiple appliances at once: Running big appliances at the same time strains a 100-amp panel. A 200-amp service manages the combined load with ease.
• Future circuits: More capacity means room for added circuits later. You can plan for new appliances or a remodel without another upgrade.

One Arlington homeowner added an EV charger and kept tripping breakers. We upgraded them to 200-amp service, and the charging ran clean after that.

Your home's size plays a big part in the right service. More space usually means more power needs. Here's how size and circuits factor in.

A 100-amp service often works well for smaller homes. It tends to fit spaces under 2,000 square feet with basic needs. The circuit count matches a simpler setup.

Larger homes tell a different story. Two- and three-story homes usually lean toward 200-amp service. More rooms and systems call for more circuits and capacity.

Circuit count drives your room to expand. A 100-amp panel holds about 20 to 24 circuits. A 200-amp panel holds around 40, which leaves space for future needs.

Code sets a baseline too. The National Electrical Code lists 100-amp as the minimum standard for homes. It recommends 200-amp service for larger homes and those with energy-heavy appliances.

Local homes and weather shape the right service size. A few Arlington factors push many homeowners toward 200-amp. Here's what we see in the field.

North Texas summers run hot and long. That means central AC systems work hard for months. Heavy cooling loads put real strain on a smaller panel.

Many Mid-Cities homes were built between the 1980s and 2010s. Some of these have aging or undersized panels. Older setups often can't match today's power needs.

EV adoption keeps growing across Arlington and Grand Prairie. More homeowners are adding chargers every year. Those chargers need capacity a 100-amp panel may lack.

Home additions and remodels are common here too. New rooms and appliances add to your load. We recommend a load check before adding any high-draw appliance.

The right choice comes down to your home and your plans. A simple process makes the decision clear. Follow these steps.

• List your high-draw appliances. Note what you run now, like central AC, electric heat, or a water heater. Add anything that pulls heavy power.
• Think about future plans. Consider an EV charger, a remodel, or a home addition. These add load and often call for 200-amp service.
• Get a load evaluation. A licensed electrician checks your current panel and your real power needs. This tells you which service fits your home.
• Leave the work to a pro. A panel upgrade is never a DIY job. It involves safety risks and strict code rules that demand an expert.

The right service keeps your home safe and ready for what's next. For more on home electrical safety, the Electrical Safety Foundation International offers helpful homeowner resources.

Our licensed electricians evaluate your panel, your loads, and your plans. We help you choose the right service size and handle the upgrade safely. You get a home that's ready for today and tomorrow.

Not sure which service fits? Call (817) 595-0116 for a load evaluation at our Arlington location.