Portsmouth Electrical Company handles electrical work for homeowners, landlords, property managers, and businesses across Portsmouth and Rockingham County. Whether you need a quick repair, a full panel upgrade, new circuits for a renovation, or wiring for a backup generator, we cover the full range of residential and commercial electrical work. We power your home. We protect your circuits. We earn the call.
Call (603) 556-8248 for a quote.
Calling an electrician doesn't have to be stressful, and the most common repair calls follow patterns that point to a clear diagnosis. Dead outlets, breakers that keep tripping, flickering lights, a burning smell near a panel or outlet, sparking receptacles, or half the house going dark without a clear reason - each of these points to something specific in the wiring or the panel, and finding it is the first job on any service call.
When we arrive, we trace the fault back to its source. That means testing circuits, checking connections, and reading the panel before any work starts. We explain what we find in plain terms and tell you what it takes to fix it. Part of that work often involves GFCI and AFCI protection - ground-fault and arc-fault devices that are now part of code-compliant repair work in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and exterior circuits. If a repair calls for one, we install it as part of the job. You get straight answers about your panel and wiring before anything is scheduled.
Call us and we'll walk you through the fix.
Electrical work like this comes up more than people expect, especially in a city where a lot of the housing stock was built when 100-amp service was considered adequate. A 100-amp panel can run out of room fast when you add an electric dryer, a second refrigerator, an EV charger, or a home addition. When breakers trip repeatedly, when there is no room for new circuits, or when the panel itself is aging out, an upgrade is usually the right call.
We handle 100-amp to 200-amp service upgrades, main panel replacements, and service-entrance work. Before any of that is scheduled, we do a load calculation to confirm what the home or building actually needs. That calculation also matters when you are planning for an EV charger or bringing a larger appliance online. Where a single upgraded panel is not enough, a subpanel can extend capacity to a garage, a workshop, or a finished basement without running everything back to the main. You get a plain answer on repair versus upgrade before a dollar is spent.
One call is enough to get the visit booked.
What sets this service apart is straightforward: outlets, switches, and lighting cover a wide range of jobs, and we handle all of them. Standard outlet replacements, GFCI outlets for wet areas, AFCI outlets for bedrooms, USB outlets, 240-volt receptacles for larger appliances, weatherproof outdoor outlets - each one is a specific install with specific requirements, and we match the device to what the circuit and the location call for. Dimmer switches, three-way switches, and smart-switch wiring all fall in the same category.
On the lighting side, we install recessed lighting, LED fixtures, ceiling lights, and ceiling fans with full wiring. For exterior work, that extends to motion sensor lights, security lighting, and landscape lighting. A well-lit exterior is part of how a property stays functional and visible after dark, and the wiring behind it needs to be weatherproof and properly grounded. We make the fix and leave it tidy.
The homes and wiring in this area have their own quirks, and older properties in Portsmouth and across Rockingham County sometimes turn up with knob-and-tube wiring or aluminum branch wiring that has reached the end of its useful life. Replacing it is not a cosmetic job. Old wiring that cannot carry modern loads safely is a real risk, and bringing it up to current standards is work we do for renovations, home sales, and properties where the wiring has simply aged out.
Dedicated circuits matter any time a single appliance needs its own reliable power path. Electric dryers, ranges, refrigerators, and well-pump circuits each require a circuit sized to the load. For homes in New Hampshire with electric heating loads, that sizing matters more than people often realize. We also install whole-home surge protection as part of a well-wired home - one device at the panel that protects everything downstream from voltage spikes. For garage circuits, block-heater circuits, basement finishing, and home additions, we show up ready to wire.
We make the fix and leave it tidy.
New Hampshire winters are not mild, and the Seacoast region gets the full force of them - extended sub-freezing stretches, ice storms, and coastal wind events that knock out power for days at a time. The electrical work that follows from that reality is specific, and it comes up every season. When you call, a real person answers.
A multi-day outage in January is not an inconvenience here, it is a genuine problem for any home or business that relies on electric heat, sump pumps, refrigeration, or medical equipment. Generator hookup means running the dedicated circuit, installing the transfer switch, and coordinating the connection to the panel so the generator feeds the right loads without backfeeding the grid. We handle the wiring side of standby and portable generator hookups and make sure the transfer switch is correctly sized for what it needs to carry.
Portsmouth has a significant amount of older housing, and many of those homes are running panels that were never designed for today's electrical loads. Electric heating draws hard on panel capacity, and adding an EV charger or upgrading appliances can push an older 100-amp system past what it can safely handle. A panel upgrade visit starts with a load calculation, confirms what the service entrance can support, and results in a panel that has room for the circuits the home actually needs now and in the near future.
Frozen pipes and roof ice dams are routine winter risks in this part of New Hampshire, and heat tape is one of the more practical ways to manage both. The tape itself requires a dedicated circuit and, in most cases, GFCI protection at the outlet or the panel. We install the circuit, confirm the protection is correct, and make sure the heat tape load is accounted for in the panel's overall capacity. Scheduling this before the first hard freeze is the right time to do it.
Scheduling an electrician shouldn't be complicated, and that holds for commercial calls as much as residential ones. We handle electrical repairs, panel upgrades, outlet and lighting installation, and wiring work for offices, retail spaces, and commercial properties across Portsmouth. Property managers dealing with tenant buildouts, code violations, or failed inspections can call us for the repair and permit work that gets a space back into compliance.
Commercial wiring has its own requirements, and code-compliant work here means following what the local inspection process enforces, not a generic national standard. Whether the job is a lighting retrofit, a panel upgrade for a growing business, or a new circuit for commercial equipment, we scope it on the call and confirm the price before anything is scheduled. One call and we are on it.
Level 2 EV charger installation starts with the panel. Before a charger circuit is run, we check available capacity, confirm the service entrance can handle the added load, and determine whether the panel needs an upgrade first. If it does, we handle that as part of the same project. The circuit itself is a dedicated 240-volt run from the panel to the charger location, sized to the charger and the vehicle's charging rate.
A charger installation visit covers the circuit, the breaker, and the connection at the charger. We test the circuit before we leave and confirm the charger is drawing correctly. We test every circuit. We label every breaker. We leave it safe.
A home electrical inspection covers the things that are hard to see in a walkthrough: panel condition, grounding and bonding, GFCI and AFCI coverage across the required areas, and the overall state of the branch wiring. For older Portsmouth properties, that inspection often surfaces deferred work that a previous owner never addressed.
Pre-sale inspections are common for homes going to market, and failed inspection repairs are something we handle for buyers and sellers alike. If a code violation turns up during a renovation or a permit inspection, we do the repair work and document what was done. The inspection tells you where the system stands. Call for a quote and we will schedule it.
Common questions about cost - what a panel upgrade runs, what EV charger installation costs, what generator hookup or house rewiring involves in terms of price - are questions we answer on the call. The price is confirmed before anything is scheduled, and you are told what it covers. There is no reason to guess at a number when a call gets you the actual rate for your specific job.
We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM. We show up ready to wire, and the scope of the job is settled before the visit starts so there is nothing to work out after the fact.
Portsmouth is our primary service area, and we handle residential and commercial calls across the surrounding Seacoast region and Rockingham County. That includes Newington, Greenland, Rye, New Castle, Stratham, Exeter, Hampton, and Dover.
If your property is in one of these communities and you need electrical work, the call works the same way. You get the scope and the price on the phone, and we schedule from there.
Call (603) 556-8248 during our hours, every day from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and we go through the job on the phone.
We ask about the symptom, the space, and what you are trying to accomplish, then give you the rate before anything is scheduled.
Portsmouth is our primary service area, and we take work throughout Rockingham County. That includes Newington, Greenland, Rye, New Castle, Stratham, Exeter, Hampton, North Hampton, and the surrounding towns. If you are not sure whether your address falls within our area, call and ask.
The process is the same: scope the job on the call, confirm the price before scheduling, show up prepared to do the work. Property managers overseeing multiple units in Portsmouth can call for any combination of repairs, inspections, outlet replacements, or lighting upgrades across their properties, and we handle the range without requiring a separate call for each building.
We confirm the scope of the job at the door, then locate the fault or assess the installation before any work begins. You are told what we find and what the repair or installation involves before we proceed. Nothing is added to the job without a conversation first.
Common indicators include frequently tripping breakers, flickering lights, outlets that do not work, a burning smell near receptacles, or a panel that runs warm. Homes in Portsmouth built before 1980 may also carry knob-and-tube or aluminum branch-circuit wiring, both of which warrant a closer look before adding load or making changes.
Call us and we will walk you through how the job is structured before anything is booked. The price is confirmed on the phone, and the scope is settled before the visit starts so you know what the work involves and what it costs ahead of time.
Yes. When you call, we go through what the schedule allows and find a time that works. We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM, which gives some flexibility for homeowners and property managers who need to work around tenants or their own schedule.
Clear access to the electrical panel and to the outlets, switches, or fixtures involved in the job. If the panel is in a utility room, basement, or closet, make sure there is enough room to work around it. Beyond that, the visit itself covers the assessment and the work.
A repair visit is typically scoped and scheduled on the same call. A panel upgrade involves a load calculation and sometimes coordination with the utility for the service entrance, so the call covers more ground before a date is set. Either way, the price is confirmed before anything is booked.
The price depends on the scope of the work, not the square footage of the house. A panel upgrade is quoted based on the current service level, the target capacity, and what the load calculation shows. A repair is quoted based on what the fault involves and what it takes to correct it.
Call us at (603) 556-8248 and we will work out a new time.
We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM, so rescheduling is usually straightforward.
Portsmouth Electrical Company handles the full range of electrical work - repairs, panel upgrades, wiring, lighting, generator hookups, EV charger installation, and everything in between - for homes and businesses across Portsmouth and Rockingham County. We power your home. We protect your circuits. We earn the call.
Call (603) 556-8248 for a quote. We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM.
From a tripped breaker to a full panel replacement, we handle the electrical work that keeps homes and businesses in Portsmouth running safely. The table below covers what each service includes, who it fits best, and what is practical to know before you call. If a job does not fit neatly into one category, call us and we will scope it on the phone.
| Service | What's Included | Best For | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-Home Surge Protection | Panel-mounted surge device installationProtection across all branch circuitsLightning and grid-fluctuation coverageAppliance and electronics protection | Homeowners with sensitive electronics, properties in areas with frequent storm activity, and anyone who has lost equipment to a surge | A panel-level device intercepts voltage spikes before they reach any circuit in the building. A single lightning strike or grid event can damage appliances on every circuit at once. |
| Backup Generator Installation | Transfer switch installationDedicated generator circuitPanel integration for priority circuitsLoad scoping on the call | Portsmouth and Rockingham County homeowners who lose power during nor'easters and ice storms and need heat, lights, and refrigeration to stay on | A transfer switch is required by code for permanent generator hookups. It isolates the generator from the utility grid, which protects utility workers during an outage. |
| Electrical Panel & Service Upgrades | Panel replacement and load calculationsService entrance upgrades to 200-ampDual-wire breaker terminal and corrosion remediationCapacity assessment for added circuits | Older homes with undersized panels, properties adding EV chargers or generators, and commercial clients needing more capacity | Panel work in New Hampshire typically requires a permit and inspection. We handle that process as part of the job so the work is documented and compliant when it is done. |
| Heat Tape Installation | Dedicated circuit for heat tapeOutlet and connection point installationPipe and roof edge locationsPanel load verification | Owners of older Portsmouth homes with exposed plumbing in crawl spaces, along exterior walls, or in unheated basement runs | Heat tape draws a continuous load over extended cold periods. Running it on a shared circuit is a code and safety concern. We wire a dedicated circuit sized for the load. |
| Ceiling Fan Installation | Fan wiring and mountingCeiling box installation where none existsFan and light kit replacementSwitch and remote wiring | Homeowners adding or replacing a ceiling fan in any room, including locations with no existing ceiling box | Installing a fan where no ceiling box exists means running wiring and installing a rated fan-support box. We handle both as part of the same visit. |
| Dedicated Appliance Circuits | Dryer, refrigerator, and dishwasher circuitsWorkshop and garage circuitsAC disconnect and dedicated feedChest freezer and microwave circuits | Homeowners adding a major appliance, finishing a garage or basement, or dealing with nuisance tripping on a shared circuit | A dedicated circuit prevents the nuisance tripping that happens when a major appliance shares a circuit with other loads. We size the circuit to the appliance on the call. |
| Lighting Installation | Recessed and under-cabinet lightingOutdoor security and motion sensor lightsFixture swaps and LED retrofitsPathway and landscape wiring | Homeowners remodeling or adding outdoor lighting, commercial properties improving parking and entryway visibility | Outdoor lighting circuits need weatherproof boxes and GFCI protection at the outlet. We wire those details correctly so the installation holds up through New Hampshire winters. |
| Electrical Safety Inspections | Pre-purchase wiring and panel reviewLandlord compliance inspectionsCode concern identificationWritten findings after the visit | Homebuyers, landlords preparing a unit for a new tenant, and property managers documenting electrical conditions | An inspection before a sale closes or a lease starts gives both parties a clear record of the system's condition. That documentation is useful if questions come up later. |
| Electrical Repairs & Troubleshooting | Fault location and circuit testingGFCI and AFCI diagnosisDead outlets and tripping breakersWiring traced to root cause | Homeowners and businesses dealing with flickering lights, dead outlets, or repeated breaker trips | A burning smell near a receptacle or a breaker that will not reset are both reasons to call without delay. |
| Outlet & Switch Installation | GFCI outlet installation in kitchens and bathsAFCI outlets in bedroomsDimmer and standard switch replacementOutlet upgrades in older wiring | Homeowners updating receptacles, landlords bringing units up to code, and anyone adding outlets to a renovated space | GFCI protection is required by code in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor locations. Replacing an older outlet in those areas means installing the correct type. |
| Wiring & Rewiring | Full home rewiring projectsKnob-and-tube remediationAluminum branch-circuit wiring upgradesPartial rewires for renovated sections | Owners of older Portsmouth homes with original wiring, buyers completing a pre-purchase inspection, and landlords upgrading rental units | Portsmouth has a significant stock of pre-1970 homes. Knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring are both common here and both affect what the system can safely carry. |
Call (603) 556-8248 to get a quote, confirm the scope, and find out what the work involves for your specific property.
(603) 556-8248