Nottingham is less a town than a ZIP code: 21236 covers parts of Perry Hall, Fullerton and the streets running toward White Marsh. Neighbors one block apart may give different town names, but the housing tells the same story.
Much of 21236 was built from the late 1950s through the 1990s: brick ranchers, split-levels, Cape Cods with added dormers, and rows of townhouses near Belair and Rossville. That means plenty of homes on their original panels, and plenty of basements wired by previous owners.
The houses, and what’s in their walls
Late-1950s brick ranchers
Two-wire ungrounded circuits are common, so three-prong outlets may not actually be grounded.
1970s–1990s townhouses
Small panels, shared walls and electric heat in some units; capacity is often the limit.
Cape Cods with dormers
Upstairs rooms added later, sometimes fed from an overloaded circuit downstairs.
Weather and the grid
Ice storms and summer storms both hit the older tree canopy here hard. A whole-home surge protector at the panel is cheap insurance for the electronics, HVAC boards and appliances in the house.
Nottingham questions
Asked in Nottingham.
Burning smell, sparks, a hot panel or half the house dark? Turn off the breaker or the main if you can do it safely, then call (410) 663-1026. For fire or smoke, get out and call 911. For a downed line, stay clear and call BGE.
Is Nottingham the same as Perry Hall?
They overlap. Nottingham is the postal name for ZIP 21236, which includes parts of Perry Hall, Fullerton and the area toward White Marsh. Our own address is listed both ways, and we serve all of it.
My outlets have three holes. Does that mean they are grounded?
Not necessarily. In many late-1950s and 1960s homes, two-prong outlets were swapped for three-prong ones without running a ground. We can test them and either add a ground, or install GFCI protection and label the outlets as code allows.
Can you work on a townhouse with a small panel?
Yes. Townhouse panels are often 100 amps or less with little room for new breakers. We look at the load, then recommend a panel replacement, a service upgrade, or simply better use of the circuits you have.