Why this comes up so often
Most homes built in NL before the late 1990s were wired with 100 amp electrical service. That was plenty for the appliances of the time. A modern heat pump — especially with an auxiliary heat kit — can push that 100 amp service past where it's comfortable, and in some cases over the top.
What "200 amp upgrade" actually means
It's a full service change:
- New meter base on the outside of the house.
- New service entrance cable.
- New 200 amp main panel inside.
- Coordination with the utility to switch over.
How long is the power off?
Usually a few hours during the changeover. We coordinate the utility window so the outage is as short as possible.
Do you have to do this with the heat pump install?
Often we bundle them. Doing both projects in the same visit is faster and cheaper than scheduling them separately. We'll quote it together during the heat pump estimate.
Code 1 electricians = no second contractor
Because we're licensed Code 1 electricians, the panel upgrade is part of our scope — not a sub-contracted line item. One project, one warranty, one phone number.