You have finally finished carefully curating every space in your home. Your home is well-decorated and reflects your taste and comfort. It is a shame that an ugly electrical panel spoils your otherwise excellent plan — so hide it. You can even do it immediately after an electrical panel installation.
You may hide your breaker box or electrical panel in many inventive and, more importantly, aesthetically pleasing ways that do not compromise accessibility or performance. However, it is recommended to consult an electrician and review applicable regulations before proceeding. Covering the panel is strictly forbidden according to some electrical rules, but as long as you can still open the door easily, it should be fine.
Here are five easy and stylish ways Best Electric Pros Hollywood has listed that beautifully cover an electrical panel.
- Go with a decorative wall hanging
Put your ingenuity to the test with this fun do-it-yourself (DIY) task or store-bought option. A bohemian wall hanging can cover the electrical panel while giving the room a softer, more textural feel. You can create a beautiful work of art with just a few cheap supplies and a little of your time. You could also go out and buy one from a hardware shop. Or, again, buy one at your local home improvement store.
- Display a woven yarn artwork
Another simple method is to hang a woven yarn wall over the area containing the breaker box or electrical panel. Going this approach with your room remodeling efforts will yield very spectacular results. In this case, the art disguises a concealed electrical panel. As a bonus, the piece brings much-appreciated warmth, aesthetic intrigue, and a wealth of textural contrast to a frequently overlooked area.
- Use a versatile shelf unit to hide your electrical panel
A multi-functional shelf with a mirror, shelves, and wall hooks. It serves several purposes but can also be a sleek cover for a circuit breaker. This is perfect in a foyer or near a garage so you can check your things as you collect your keys and purse before heading out the door. No one would know there was even a circuit break hiding behind it.
- Smokescreen with paintings or pictures
We think having your artwork do more than just look pretty on display is great. What about an oversized piece? Besides making this snug living room look more visually interesting, it is a perfect way to conceal a large circuit breaker. Let your creative juices flow and make your own beautiful, functional cover for your home’s electrical panel. Or, simply hang your favorite photographs up.
- Disguise with cabinetry
Hiding your electrical panel behind a cabinet door is a popular way for homeowners to show off their sophistication. Adding more will make a perfect solution if the unattractive feature is situated in a room with pre-existing cupboards, such as the kitchen or the laundry room. You can justify the extra cash you spend with a high-quality, smooth finish.
And voilà! The unsightly circuit breaker box has been beautifully hidden away, yet it is still simple to access.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Home Electrical Panel Labeling
A circuit breaker in the breaker box controls the flow of electricity to each of the circuits that supply your home’s main electrical appliances. Labeling our electrical lines in the panel is not something we often consider doing. Most of us do not even know its importance, let alone how to do it correctly. Nevertheless, this is a vital task for any homeowner around the world.
If you have an older electrical panel with an outdated index, do not bother erasing or rewriting it. Instead, remove them and start from scratch because they can be potentially confusing. Clearly identify each component of your home’s electrical system by labeling the panel.
Things You Need
- Voltage testers
- Pen and paper
- Flashlights (preferably headlamps)
- Smartphones or walkie-talkie for each person
Step 1
- Having one person in charge of the electrical panel is step one. The first step is to decide which room to begin in and then place the second person there. If you must work at night or in a dark room where the panel is located, do not forget to bring your flashlight and electrical tester. If you are just starting with this, a bedroom is a great place to start and learn the ropes.
Step 2
- Assign one of you the task of writing down which circuit manages which device. That individual ought to be equipped with a pen and paper.
Step 3
- Find the switches and outlets in the room.
Step 4
- Activate all switches and become familiar with the lights they control. Put something electric into every outlet in the room, whether it be a radio, a lamp, or a night light. You can also use pluggable electronics, such as a television, radio, or lamp.
Step 5
- For the person operating the panel, make sure all the circuit breakers and fuses are labeled with numbers. Suppose the breakers and fuses in your electrical panel are not yet numbered. In that case, you can easily do it by using a permanent marker, like a Sharpie, to write the appropriate numbers directly on the metal housing.
Step 6
- Make a phone call or use a walkie-talkie to communicate with one another.
Step 7
- Beginning at the panel, switch off the breakers or remove the fuses one by one until the power is off. Be ready to switch the breaker off and on again very carefully. To replace a fuse, unscrew it, wait two to three seconds, and then reinstall it. Take caution if you attempt this. When turning breakers or replacing fuses, be sure to do so with a firm, not forceful flick of the switch or a square, fully threaded position.
Step 8
- For the person in another room, keep an eye out for electronics to switch off. If you hear a power cut or see the light go out, signal your panel partner immediately. To make sure the breaker or fuse was indeed controlling the outlet or light that you observed shut off, have it switched on and off again. Once you have verified it, you can ask which circuit number was used.
Step 9
- The person recording the findings must jot down the circuit number and specify the exact place and object that was found. It needs to be generic and particular with labeling. You must not refer to a room as “Derek’s bedroom” because you won’t live in your house forever, or Derek may decide to move out. You must describe the room’s location and the item’s specific location in as much detail as possible. For instance, you could write this if you found that the receptacle in your bedroom was wired into circuit 4: Breaker 4 receptacle for the 2nd floor NE room.
Step 10
- Simply repeat the same step in every other room in the house. As a reminder, some older homes have receptacles that require switches. This indicates that the plug-in outlet will only work if the power switch is activated. Check electricity-powered outside lighting, outlets, the garage, and any outbuildings.
Feel free to read other blog posts from Best Electric Pros Hollywood if you need more guidance navigating your home’s electrical system safely and giving your home a charming boost.