Call 855-502-2244
Project overview
Touchstone Electric completed a subpanel installation and a series of electrical upgrades for a home in Charlotte, NC. Led by technician Danny Bishop, this project addressed safety, capacity, and code-compliance concerns discovered during a comprehensive home electrical inspection. Work was completed on March 13, 2024 by our Charlotte team, serving the area from our Matthews branch.
What we found during inspection
Our inspection uncovered several code violations and safety issues affecting everyday reliability:
- An overloaded subpanel in the carport storage room without proper grounding
- A microwave protected by a 30-amp breaker instead of the required 20-amp protection
- Electric heat sharing a circuit and a gas heat unit tied into another circuit
- Metal conduit to the crawlspace not suitable for the environment
- Lack of whole-home surge protection
- Exterior outlets needing tamper-resistant, weather-resistant receptacles and in-use bubble covers
An electrical permit was pulled, and all work was performed to current code requirements.
Scope of work completed
- New subpanel and feeder: Furnished and installed a code-compliant subpanel in the carport storage room. Ran a new 4-wire SER feeder from the main exterior panel, routing PVC conduit up the deck side and through the attic to deliver safe, properly sized capacity with correct grounding and bonding.
- Main panel troubleshooting and corrections: Evaluated breakers labeled for electric heat and hot water, verified loads and labeling, and corrected the overfused microwave circuit to 20-amp protection for proper safety.
- Conduit upgrade: Removed the existing metal conduit run to the crawlspace and replaced it with durable, code-compliant PVC conduit.
- Whole-house surge protection: Installed a service-rated surge protective device to help guard appliances and sensitive electronics from damaging voltage spikes.
- Exterior receptacle upgrades: Installed tamper-resistant, weather-resistant (TR/WR) outlets with in-use bubble covers for better outdoor safety and durability.
- Dedicated heat circuit: Ran a new, dedicated GFCI-protected circuit to the gas heat unit in the crawlspace to eliminate shared loads and improve reliability.
- Advanced breaker protection: Added GFCI/AFCI combo breakers where required to enhance shock and arc-fault protection.
Materials and craftsmanship
To ensure long-term performance, our team used quality components including SER 1/0 (4-wire) feeder cable, schedule-rated PVC conduit, and GFCI/AFCI combination breakers. The new subpanel is neatly organized with clear circuit labeling, helping the homeowner and future technicians quickly identify and service circuits.
Why these upgrades matter
- Safety and code compliance: Proper grounding, correctly sized breakers, and dedicated circuits reduce fire and shock risks.
- System reliability: A right-sized feeder and subpanel capacity prevent nuisance trips and power interruptions.
- Electronics protection: Whole-home surge protection helps safeguard appliances and sensitive devices from power surges.
- Outdoor durability: TR/WR receptacles and bubble covers keep connections safer in the elements.
- Future-ready: Organized panels and labeled circuits simplify maintenance and future upgrades.
Ongoing safety support
As part of this service, the homeowner received our Annual Home Safety Membership – Gold, which includes routine checks such as smoke/CO detector testing, panel safety reviews, and inspection for loose or deteriorated connections and code updates.
Local expertise in panels and subpanels
Touchstone Electric specializes in Panels & Service Upgrades and Subpanel Installation throughout Charlotte, NC. From feeder replacements and conduit upgrades to surge protection and dedicated circuits, our Matthews-based Charlotte team delivers clean, code-compliant work that keeps your home safe and powered.
What the homeowner said
Charlotte homeowner Anna Jean Hardy praised our team with a review after the project. Read Anna’s review on Google.