Brown Deer's mid-century housing stock was built during an era when a 60 or 100-amp electrical service was perfectly adequate for household needs. Today's homes — with multiple computers, large HVAC systems, EV chargers, and high-draw kitchen appliances — routinely exceed what those older panels can safely handle. Burkhardt Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric provides expert electrical panel upgrades for Brown Deer homeowners ready to modernize their electrical systems.
Many Brown Deer homes built in the 1950s through 1970s may still contain Federal Pacific Stab-Lok or Zinsco electrical panels. These brands have a documented history of breaker failure — breakers that fail to trip during an overload or short circuit, allowing dangerous heat buildup that can start fires. If your Brown Deer home has one of these panels, replacement is the only appropriate action.
Burkhardt's licensed electricians replace outdated panels with modern 200-amp services that accommodate today's electrical loads and tomorrow's additions. We manage the entire process: permit filing, We Energies coordination, meter and weatherhead work if needed, new panel installation, circuit mapping and labeling, and final inspection.
We also install EV-ready 240V circuits for Level 2 charging — a popular add-on during panel upgrades since the electrical service work is already underway. GreenSky financing makes the combined investment manageable.
Call Burkhardt at 414-206-3049 to schedule your Brown Deer panel upgrade consultation.
**FAQs**
**Q: My Brown Deer home has a Federal Pacific panel and it seems to work fine. Do I really need to replace it?** A: Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers may appear to function normally while being unable to trip under fault conditions — a failure mode that can cause fires. The risk is real and replacement is strongly recommended.
**Q: Can I add an EV charger to my existing panel, or do I need to upgrade first?** A: It depends on your current panel's capacity and available breaker spaces. We'll assess your panel and advise honestly — sometimes an EV circuit is possible without a full upgrade, other times an upgrade is the right starting point.
EV Charger Installation
As electric vehicles become more common across Southeastern Wisconsin, many homeowners need a Level 2 EV charger installed in their garage. This typically requires a dedicated 240-volt, 50-amp circuit from your electrical panel — and in older homes, a panel upgrade to handle the additional load. Our licensed electricians handle the complete installation: panel assessment, circuit addition, charger mounting, and final inspection. We install all major EV charger brands including ChargePoint, Tesla Wall Connector, JuiceBox, and Grizzl-E.
We install and service panels from Square D, Eaton/Cutler-Hammer, Siemens, and GE. For generators, we're authorized Generac installers — headquartered right here in Waukesha, WI.
My Brown Deer home has a Federal Pacific panel and it seems to work fine. Do I really need to replace it?
Federal Pacific Stab-Lok breakers may appear to function normally while being unable to trip under fault conditions — a failure mode that can cause fires. The risk is real and replacement is strongly recommended.
Can I add an EV charger to my existing panel, or do I need to upgrade first?
It depends on your current panel's capacity and available breaker spaces. We'll assess your panel and advise honestly — sometimes an EV circuit is possible without a full upgrade, other times an upgrade is the right starting point.
Related Services
Learn more about our electrical services across southeastern Wisconsin.
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Call Us At: (414) 206-3049
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