Fuse Box Replacement and Conversion to a Breaker Panel
Old screw-in fuse boxes converted to a modern breaker panel, the job insurers and lenders keep asking Denver homeowners to take care of.
Why fuse boxes get replaced
Plenty of Denver bungalows and older Aurora homes still run on a fuse box, and a well-kept one is not an emergency on its own. What ends the conversation is capacity: sixty amps and four to six fused circuits were plenty in 1955, and are not enough for central air, a modern kitchen and a car in the driveway.
The other reason is paperwork. Homeowners call us after being told a policy will not renew, or a sale will not close, until the fuse box is gone. Tell us the deadline when you call and we will say whether we can hit it.
- Fuses that blow whenever two large appliances run together
- An insurance renewal or home sale that flagged the panel
- Oversized fuses installed to stop nuisance blowing, which is a real fire risk
- No room to add a circuit for AC, a hot tub or an EV charger
- Cloth-insulated or ungrounded branch wiring feeding the box
What a conversion actually involves
A conversion is more than swapping a box on the wall. We set a new panel, land every circuit on a properly sized breaker, add AFCI and GFCI protection where code requires it, replace undersized service entrance conductors and meter connections, and bring grounding up to code with a ground rod and water-line bond.
Most homes go to 200 amps at this point, because the cost difference between 100 and 200 amps during the conversion is small compared to doing it twice. If your house genuinely does not need it, we will say so.
- New panel, breakers, enclosure and legible circuit directory
- Service entrance and meter can inspected and replaced if needed
- Ground rod, water-line bond and neutral separation done correctly
- AFCI and GFCI protection where code requires it
- Permit pulled and the utility disconnect coordinated by us
What the day looks like
Power is off for part of the day and you get the expected window before we start, so you can plan around a work-from-home schedule. Our own crew does the work start to finish.
When we finish, the inspector signs the permit off, you get photos and a directory you can still read in ten years, and we send whatever documentation your insurer or title company asked for.
Our process
How an EPO fuse box conversion job runs
- 01
Look at the box
We open the fuse box, check the service conductors, meter and grounding, and count what actually needs to land on breakers.
- 02
Written price
You get the panel size, the scope, permit fees and the timeline in writing. Financing is available if you would rather pay monthly.
- 03
Permit and utility
We pull the permit with your jurisdiction and schedule the utility disconnect so the outage window is planned.
- 04
Conversion day
Old box out, new panel in, every circuit landed, labeled and tested before we leave the property.
- 05
Inspection and paperwork
We meet the inspector, close the permit, and send photos and documentation for your insurer or lender.
Pricing
What moves the price on this job
We quote after seeing the equipment, because these details change the number more than anything else.
- Service size the home is going to, usually 100 or 200 amps
- Condition of the service entrance conductors and meter can
- Number of circuits being landed on breakers
- Whether the existing branch wiring is grounded
- Grounding electrode and bonding work required
- Jurisdiction permit and inspection fees
Still deciding?
The fastest way to get a real answer for your home is to have a tech open the panel. The on-site estimate is free, and you leave with a written price for fuse box conversion.
Want the long version first? Read How to Tell Your Electrical Panel Needs Replacing.
Monthly payments available through Hearth
Prequalifying takes about a minute and uses a soft credit check, so checking does not affect your credit score. Or read how financing works.
Financing provided by third-party lenders through Hearth, NMLS #1628533. Not a commitment to lend.
FAQ
Common questions about this job
Is a fuse box dangerous?
A fuse box that has been left alone and correctly fused is not automatically unsafe. The common hazard is an oversized fuse installed to stop nuisance blowing, which lets a circuit carry more current than its wire is rated for.
My insurance company says I need it replaced. How fast can you do it?
Tell us the deadline when you call. We schedule around it where permit and utility timelines allow, and we can send documentation straight to your insurer.
Do I have to rewire the whole house?
Usually no. The conversion replaces the panel and service, not the branch wiring. If we find damaged or unsafe wiring at the panel we will show you photos before doing anything about it.
Should I go to 200 amps while you are in there?
In most Denver-area homes, yes. The incremental cost during a conversion is far lower than upgrading again in a few years when you add AC or an EV charger.
Search every question we get asked on the full FAQ page.
Where we work
Fuse Box Replacement across the Front Range
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