When should you call an Electrician?

It is good practice to call an experienced and licensed electrical professional anytime you experience electrical issues. Wether it is an outlet that has stopped working, a loss of power or serious issues like sparking and hazardous wiring methods.

Should Homeowners “DIY” Electrical work?

Homeowners should never “do it yourself” when is comes to electrical wiring and systems in their home. Without the proper knowledge and certifications, serious and sometimes life threatening events can occur from the improper installation and/or modifications to one’s electrical system. This is why you should always consult and leave the work to a certified and licensed contractor.

Signs that there may be significant electrical issues?

Some indicators that may point to more serious issues within your home’s electrical system could present themselves as buzzing noises coming from devices and boxes or in flickering lights throughout parts of the house. In other cases more obvious signs of burn marks, melted devices and equipment, discoloration and even arcing clearly indicate  an issue that should be addressed.

What does electrical burning smell like? 

It can be hard to put the description of a particular smell into words. Electrical burning is sometimes described as having a fish-like smell or that of burning metal, not necessarily like the smell from a campfire. If you suspect electrical burning in your house you should call a licensed and bonded professional to further investigate. 

How often should an electrical system be looked at?

Having a routine check of your electrical system once a year can often help to alleviate and/or eliminate any issues that begin to arise in your electrical system before they turn into major repairs and issues down the road. 

Why does my breaker keep tripping?

Traditional breakers are over-current protection devices. There intended purpose is to shut off the flow of electrical current in order to protect equipment and devices down line and prevent electrical hazards from direct short circuits or a sustained current flow that exceeds its manufactured amperage rating. 

Why are my lights flickering?

There can be many causes that result in flickering lights throughout your home. These can range from surging to a weak neutral and many other causes. If you experience an excessive amount of flickering amongst your lights you should contact a qualified electrician to diagnose the issue.

What is a surge and what can be done about them?

Almost every electrical system in the world experiences surges. A surge is defined as “a surge is a transient wave of current, voltage or power in an electric circuit.  In power systems in particular – and this is likely the most common context that we relate surges to – a surge, or transient, is a subcycle overvoltage with a duration of less than a half-cycle of the normal voltage waveform” by NEMAsurge.org. One of the best ways to protect your kitchen appliances and other valuable electronics in your home is through surge protection. Consult a local licensed electrician for ways to add surge protection to your home. 

What is a short circuit?

The term short circuit is used to reference when electrical current is taking an unintended path with a low resistance value. This then results in a spike in current down that path. The detention of this event is one of the  main functions of breakers, intended to keep components and anything else downstream safe.

Why are my outlets/switches not working?

There are several different reasons for why ones outlets or switches are not working. These causes can range from a break in the line that delivers power to each of these devices or a breaker that has failed. There are infinite possibilities for why an individual’s electrical devices are not working and the individual should always consult with a licensed and qualified electrician to determine the diagnosis for the failure of electrical devices. 

How often should a panel be replaced?

There is no set number of years that a panel needs to be replaced after. It is considered by many for 20 years to be industry standard when it comes to the life of a panel and its circuit breakers. However; as we all know there are panel that have operated for 40-50 years while maintaining a good condition. This is why one should always call a qualified and licensed electrical professional to inspect and determine the condition of any electrical equipment in question. 

Two-prong outlets

When someone refers to a two-prong outlet they are talking about a receptacle that only has two openings for a something to be plugged into. These outlets are often found in older homes that have not had much electrical service already done on their system. The hazards that come from two prong outlets eminate from the reason that the third hole found on modern electrical outlets is for the ground wire. Meaning that the majority of two prong outlets found are ungrounded, this is why they are usually only found in older homes. If you have two-pronged outlets in your house you should contact a qualified and licensed electrician to assess their condition. 

Aluminum Wiring 

Aluminum wiring, specifically when used for branch circuits in residential homes has caused problems across the country. This is mainly due to the fact that aluminum has a lower melting point than copper so when used in applications that experience larger differences of flowing current throughout short periods of time it causes issued due to the expansion and contraction of the aluminum in these applications.

Backstabbed Devices

“Backstabbed Devices” is referring to a particular method of wiring for devices such as receptacles (outlets) or switches. This method  of wiring has been known to cause electrical issues in homes across the country due to the deterioration of the connection over time. It is still allowed but often avoided and fixed by quality electricians who choose to do work that lasts.