When it comes to electricity in our homes, we can all agree that our safety is paramount. High utility bills, flickering lights or surges and even faulty appliances are some common electrical problems homeowners deal with. Identifying these problems and repairing them is critical to the overall safety of your home and family. We have put together a helpful list of problems to be on the lookout for.
- Frequent Electrical Surges – There are a number of factors that can cause electrical surges in the home—lightning, faulty appliances, damage to outdoor power lines and bad electrical wiring in the home to name a few. Though an electrical surge lasts but a second or two, frequent surges can cause damage to a variety of electrical components connected to your home, especially larger home appliances such as refrigerators, computers and air conditioning units.
- Malfunctioning Light Switches – Switches that do not work properly can usually be attributed to either sub-standard products or poor workmanship. Switch issues may be the result of a newly installed switch elsewhere in the home or even fixtures that have been removed. Most of the time it is the result of a fault in an outlet, circuit or the wiring.
- Dips in Power – Much like electrical surges, dips in your home’s electrical supply can be the result of faulty devices connected to your power grid or devices made with sub-standard materials. These devices are likely drawing power away from other electronics when they are switched on.
- Tripped Circuit Breakers– Microwaves and hairdryers and other high wattage devices can easily trip the circuit breakers, especially if several power-consuming items are being used on the same circuit. When your circuit breaker trips, take a look at what you are using at the time and take steps to relegate that going forward.
- Lights are Either Too Bright or Too Dim – If you notice lights in your home that are too bright while others are too dim then you have one of two problems. Lights with different wattages or a compromised main neutral connection. It is recommended that you do not attempt to fix the problem on your own as doing so can be quite dangerous.
- Electrical Shocks – The primary cause of electrical shocks is that the electricity is not being properly utilized. A shock usually occurs when you turn an appliance on or off. This can be a problem with the appliance itself or bad wiring. Either way, don’t attempt to repair it on your own. Getting electrocuted can be tragic!
- High Electric Bills – If you are experiencing unusually high electric bills, it may be because of a single appliance that’s working overtime. You may also want to take time out to determine which electrical appliances and devices are accountable for multiple power surges you are experiencing and replace them. Furthermore, you may want to unplug devices, chargers and appliances when they are not in use. Look into having faulty or damaged wiring and circuits repaired or replaced to help lower those electric bills.
- Light Bulbs Burning Out Quickly – The wattage on your bulbs may be too high for the lamp or fixture, the bulb may be the wrong type for the fixture, insulation may be too close to the light, bad wiring may exist on the mains or on the circuit, or a poor connection exists on the circuit. Overall, if you are going through an excessive number of light bulbs, then it’s best to contact an electrician to solve the problem.
If you are experiencing any of these common electrical problems in your home and they continue to persist, then it’s time to call in the professionals. That’s where the experts at Gervais Electric, Inc. come in. Get in touch with us today so we can help diagnose and identify your issues. We take tremendous pride in providing all our clients with peace of mind and safety assurance and look forward to serving you with all your electrical needs. Don’t delay. Contact us today!!