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Corrosion has a way of getting everywhere. This is especially true for people living in a high-humidity environment such as ours here in Marshfield, MA. Your electrical panels are most at risk of corrosion because of the metal components.
When you find corrosion around your electrical panel, you must move quickly to remove it to prevent different electrical problems. However, few homeowners know how to remove corrosion from an electrical panel.
Beyond the challenges of knowing how to do the actual cleaning, there’s the fear of shocks or triggering electrical fires. Crowe Electric, the most experienced electrician in Marshfield, MA, covers all the details you need to know in this post.
What Does Electrical Panel Corrosion Look Like?
Electrical panel corrosion generally looks like the corrosion in any other metal component: brown and flaky. However, it can also appear as a green, white, or blue crust around the metal components.
Electrical panel corrosion occurs when moisture, dust, and other contaminants interact with the metal.
Why Is Corrosion in an Electrical Panel Dangerous?
Corrosion in an electrical panel is dangerous for a number of reasons. First, corrosion can eat through the panel if left unchecked for too long. The compromised housing will let in even more moisture, damaging core parts of the panel, such as the circuit breakers and bus bars.
The circuit breakers activate and turn off the electricity supply when the flow of current entering your home becomes too high.
Corrosion eating too deep into your panel can cause the breakers to clog up. Which means they won’t trip when they are supposed to. As a result, your wires may overheat. In severe cases, this will cause an electrical fire.
How to Remove Corrosion From an Electrical Panel
Here’s what you can do for effective electrical panel corrosion removal:
Gather the Right Materials
Some of the tools you’ll need for this process include:
- An abrasive pad or wire brush
- Deoxidizing compound
- 220-grit sandpaper
- Soft piece of cloth
Cut Power to the Panel
Turn off your electricity from the mains before you start work to remove the corrosion from the electrical panel. This is one of the most important steps to remove corrosion in panels.
It’s the only way to ensure your safety from electric shocks during corrosion cleaning for electrical panels. You also don’t want to cause electric fires by causing short circuits.
Inspect the Electrical Panel
Inspect the electrical panel thoroughly to check the extent of the corrosion. Use your flashlight if necessary to get a good look at the electrical panel. Check all the parts of the panel for signs of corrosion, especially around the metal parts.
Start with Cleaning the Inside of the Panel
You can remove corrosion from inside the panel using the wire brush or abrasive pad. Be careful while removing rust from circuit panels to avoid damaging anything or disconnecting any wires in the electrical panel.
If you spot any stubborn patches of corrosion, sand them down with the 200-grit sandpaper before using a non-conductive solvent to dissolve the remaining.
Clean the Exterior of the Panel
You can wipe down the exterior of the electrical panel to remove any dirt. Check the panel’s exterior for corrosion. Look around the handles, hinges, and seams, as you’re more likely to find corrosion around these areas.
Protect the Contacts and Terminals From Future Corrosion
You can protect the terminals and contacts from future corrosion by applying some deoxidizing compound around them. Beyond electrical panel corrosion prevention, these compounds also improve conductivity. Be careful when using them, though. Using too much can cause residue buildup inside the panel.
Reassemble and Test the Panel
After you’re satisfied with the panel’s look, it’s time to put everything back together. Make sure all connections are tight and that you don’t have any loose screws. You can round off the cleaning process by spraying the panel’s exterior with some anti-corrosion spray to further reduce the risk of future corrosion.
Turn the power back on and test the panel to ensure everything is in good shape.
Get Professional Help with Your Electrical Panel Problems in Marshfield, Massachusetts
Does our guide on how to remove corrosion from an electrical panel feel overwhelming for you? Do you have severe corrosion on your panel? Call the expert team at Crowe Electric at 781-678-8266.Beyond dealing with your electrical panel corrosion problem, we can also complete a home electrical system inspection to ensure your home’s electrical infrastructure is in excellent shape.