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Hailstorms
North Texas is among the most hail-prone regions in the country. Hail damages condensers, solar panels, meters and outdoor fixtures.
Electrical Repair & TroubleshootingLocal guide
The Arlington electrical guide
History, housing, weather and rules that shape electrical work in Arlington, TX.
From small town to sports capital
Arlington had only about 7,000 residents in 1950. The opening of the General Motors assembly plant in 1954, Six Flags in 1961 and the Texas Rangers’ arrival in 1972 fueled rapid growth, and the city now has around 400,000 people. Because so much was built in a few decades, large parts of Arlington share similar construction eras, with electrical systems now reaching fifty or sixty years old.
Central Arlington and the UTA area
The neighborhoods around the old downtown and the University of Texas at Arlington include some of the city’s oldest homes, from the 1940s and 1950s, along with many rental houses for students. Older homes often have small services, ungrounded circuits and original panels, and rental properties need regular safety updates between tenants.
Aluminum wiring era
A significant number of homes built in Arlington in the late 1960s and early 1970s have aluminum branch wiring, which was used briefly when copper prices spiked. Aluminum wiring can overheat at connections if not properly terminated. Approved repair methods, such as special connectors that join copper pigtails to the aluminum, reduce the risk without rewiring the whole house.
Panels from the boom years
Homes built in the 1960s and 1970s often have their original panels, including brands such as Federal Pacific and Zinsco that many electricians recommend replacing. Replacing an aging panel is commonly combined with adding circuits for modern kitchens, larger air conditioners or EV chargers.
Clay soils and slab foundations
Arlington sits on expansive clay that swells when wet and shrinks during drought, causing slab foundations to move. Foundation movement can stress conduit, crack exterior boxes and loosen service masts. After foundation repair, an electrician can check that exterior equipment, meter bases and any wiring in the slab still function safely.
The Entertainment District
Homes near AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Six Flags see game-day crowds, and some residents host tailgates or rent parking. Temporary outdoor power for tents and lighting should use properly rated outlets with ground-fault protection, not extension cords run from inside.
Southwest Arlington subdivisions
Southwest and southeast Arlington grew from the 1980s through the 2000s with larger homes, pools and two-story floor plans. These homes typically have 200-amp services, but pools, spas, outdoor kitchens and EV chargers can fill panels quickly.
Viridian and north Arlington
Viridian, a master-planned community along the Trinity River in north Arlington, was built from the 2010s onward with modern wiring and energy-efficient homes. Owners there commonly add EV chargers, solar panels and smart home systems.
Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens
Pantego and Dalworthington Gardens are small independent cities surrounded by Arlington. Dalworthington Gardens has larger lots with horses and outbuildings. Each handles its own permits, so homeowners should confirm jurisdiction before starting work.
Hail alley
The Dallas–Fort Worth area experiences some of the most damaging hailstorms in the country, with stones large enough to shred roofs and dent cars. Hail damages air conditioning condensers, outdoor disconnects, meter covers, exterior fixtures and solar panels. An electrician can inspect damaged equipment and document it for insurance claims.
The 2012 tornado
On April 3, 2012, tornadoes struck the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including a tornado that damaged homes in Arlington and nearby Kennedale. Damaged service equipment must be inspected and repaired before reconnection.
Winter Storm Uri
In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri brought days of subfreezing temperatures, and ERCOT ordered rolling outages that left many Arlington homes without power and heat. Burst pipes damaged walls and ceilings, sometimes soaking wiring and fixtures. Many homeowners added generators with interlocks or transfer switches afterward.
Retail electricity choice
Arlington residents choose from many retail electricity providers, while Oncor owns the poles, wires and meters. Some plans reward using less power at certain times, which can make smart thermostats and EV charging schedules worthwhile.
Arlington resale inspections
Inspection reports in Arlington commonly note aluminum wiring, outdated panels, missing ground-fault protection, hail-damaged outdoor equipment and amateur wiring in garages and patios.
Common Arlington projects
Typical work includes panel replacements, aluminum wiring repairs, generator installations, hail damage repairs, pool wiring, ceiling fans and EV chargers.
The GM plant and east Arlington
General Motors has built vehicles at its Arlington Assembly plant since 1954, and east Arlington grew with modest brick homes for plant workers and their families. Many of those houses, near Great Southwest Parkway and the old Highway 80 corridor, have 100-amp services, two-prong outlets in bedrooms and garages converted into living space years ago. Updating them often starts with a new panel and grounded circuits, followed by permits to legitimize the garage conversion.
Lake Arlington and Johnson Creek
Homes near Lake Arlington, the city’s water supply reservoir in the west, and along Johnson Creek and Rush Creek can see flash flooding during heavy spring storms. Low-lying properties should keep panels and HVAC equipment above expected water levels, and any equipment that has been underwater needs inspection before power is restored.
Triple-digit afternoons and attic circuits
During Arlington’s hottest weeks, attic temperatures can exceed 140 degrees. Wiring, junction boxes and connections in attics age faster in that heat, and attic fans, bathroom exhausts and lights installed by previous owners sometimes use connections that fail under it. Electricians checking attic wiring in late spring catch problems before the hottest weather.
Pool equipment on clay soil
Backyard pools are common across southwest and north Arlington. Because clay soils move, buried conduit to pool equipment pads can crack and let water in, and bonding conductors can break when decks shift. Periodic checks of pool panels, ground-fault protection and bonding keep swimmers safe.
Apartments along Cooper and Collins
Arlington has a very large stock of apartment complexes, many built along Cooper Street, Collins Street and near UTA during the 1970s and 1980s boom. Owners renovating these complexes often replace aging panels in each unit, update meter banks and add ground-fault and arc-fault protection. Tenants in older units sometimes find that air conditioners, microwaves and space heaters overload a handful of circuits, a sign the unit’s panel and wiring are due for an update.
Texas licensing and permits
Texas licenses electricians and electrical contractors through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and Arlington requires permits for panel changes, new circuits and service work. Homeowners can confirm a license online before hiring.
