Panels · 5 min read
100 Amp vs 200 Amp Service: Which Do You Need?
A 100 amp service covers basic household needs, while 200 amp service supports central air, EV charging, electric heat and modern appliance loads.
100 amp service is sufficient for a small home with gas heat and few large appliances. 200 amp service is recommended for homes with central air conditioning, electric ranges or dryers, EV charging, or heat pumps.
How to tell what you have
The main breaker at the top of your panel is labeled with its rating: 100, 150, 200 or 400. If you have fuses rather than breakers, the service is almost certainly 60 or 100 amps.
When 200 amps is the right call
- Adding a Level 2 EV charger
- Converting from gas to electric heat or a heat pump
- Adding central air conditioning
- Finishing a basement or adding an addition
- Running an electric range, dryer and hot tub together