Updated October 2026
Straight answer
Yes. We wire heat pumps, upgrade panels and handle repairs across Peabody, with phones answered 24/7. The usual first question is whether the existing panel can carry a heat pump. A load calculation settles it: sometimes there is room for the new circuits as is, sometimes load management avoids an upgrade, and sometimes the service has to grow first.
Will my Peabody panel handle a heat pump?
A ducted or ductless heat pump system typically needs one or more dedicated 240 volt circuits, a disconnect within sight of each outdoor unit and enough spare capacity on the service to run hard in January alongside everything else. Houses that were built or last upgraded decades ago often have a 100 amp service, which can sometimes carry a heat pump and sometimes cannot, depending on what else is electric: the range, the dryer, the water heater, a car charger.
We answer the question with a load calculation based on your house and the equipment you plan to add, not a guess from the panel label. If the numbers work, we run the circuits and set the disconnects. If they are close, a smart panel or load management device can keep the heat pump and an EV from peaking together. If they do not work, we plan a service upgrade and coordinate the meter work with your utility.
Code and incentives for Peabody heat pump work
Heat pump circuits we install in Peabody follow the 2023 NEC with the Massachusetts amendments: wire and breaker sized from the nameplate, a disconnect near the outdoor unit, and protection wherever the code asks for it. Money is the next question. Incentives for panel upgrades tied to electrification exist in Massachusetts in 2026, but who qualifies depends on the program and can depend on which utility serves the house, so read the terms before you buy equipment. We write the scope down so you can attach it to an application.
Ranches, capes and split-levels have their own quirks
Peabody has plenty of ranches, capes and split-levels, and their wiring problems differ from the Victorians closer to Boston. Aluminum branch wiring shows up in some houses from the late 1960s and early 1970s, two-prong outlets survive in older bedrooms, and finished basements often carry circuits a previous owner added without a permit. None of it is unusual, and most of it can be corrected without opening many walls.
In a single-story house, the attic and the basement make routing new circuits easier than in a city triple-decker, which keeps labor down on heat pump and EV work. We also check grounding, since a house getting a heat pump and new electronics should have a solid grounding electrode system, with the water and gas piping properly tied into it. If we find aluminum branch circuits, we pigtail them with connectors rated for the job rather than leaving them on standard devices.
Peabody jobs that start at the panel
Heat Pump Electrical Wiring
Dedicated circuits and outdoor disconnects for each condenser, sized from the nameplate.
Electrical Panel Upgrade
When the load calculation says the service is too small, the panel and service grow together.
Smart Panel & Load Management
A way to add a heat pump or charger to a tight service without a full upgrade.
Aluminum Wiring Repair
Some Peabody houses from the late 1960s and early 1970s still have aluminum branch circuits.
EV Charger Installation
A garage charger often goes on the same load calculation as the heat pump.
Basement Finishing Wiring
Finished basements are where unpermitted circuits from past owners tend to turn up.
Getting heat pump quotes? Call first and we will tell you what your panel can carry.
Call (617) 843-6591Peabody heat pump and panel questions
Not always. A single mini-split often fits on an existing 100 amp service with room to spare. Several heads, plus an electric range or an EV charger, is where capacity gets tight. A load calculation tells you which side of that line you are on.
That is the disconnect. The code requires a way to shut off power within sight of the outdoor unit, so a technician can service it safely. We mount it, wire it and size its protection to the equipment.
Aluminum branch wiring can be safe if its connections are made correctly. The risk is at outlets, switches and splices, where aluminum expands and oxidizes. Pigtailing with rated connectors or replacing the circuits addresses it.
Yes, and it is smart to plan them together. One load calculation covers both, and if capacity is tight a load management device can let them share the service without a full upgrade.
Wiring one or two outdoor units to a panel with space is usually done in a day once the equipment is set. A panel or service upgrade adds a utility shutdown and an inspection to the schedule.