Most homeowners avoid do-it-yourself projects that involve rewiring or repairing electricity for the safety issues involved, but do you know how to spot and fix common electrical hazards around your home?
The National Fire Protection Association reported of the 47,700 home electrical fires in 2011, 29% resulted in injury or death.
At Weather Master, we take safety seriously. We hope you will find the following Electrical Problem Troubleshooting tips helpful.
Remember: if you have any doubts or concerns about your home’s electrical system, please call a professional electrician. If you live in our Raleigh, North Carolina service area, please give us a call. We are always happy to help.
Has one or more of your electrical outlets stopped working?
Electrical outlets can be tricky. If one or more of your outlets stops working and you find no other signs of an electrical problem- like smoking or sparking at the outlet, try resetting the circuit breaker or fuse box. If your outlet has a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) reset button, try resetting that next.
If resetting the circuit breaker or GFCI button doesn’t return power to your outlet you may have a faulty or burned out outlet. We recommend contacting a professional electrician to evaluate or replace your outlet.
Are your lights flickering?
Flickering lights can have many causes. If you have just one light that flickers, it may be just a loose connection. Try tightening the bulb or replacing it with a new one to see if that solves your problem. If you have more than one flickering lights or an entire light fixture that flickers, a faulty fixture or wiring may be the culprit. We recommend disconnecting the power to the flickering lights and contacting a professional electrician to evaluate your wiring.
Have you seen sparks or noticed an odor coming from your electrical outlets?
You should contact a professional electrician at the first sign of sparking or odor from an electrical outlet. You may have a faulty electrical appliance- or the odor or sparks may be signs of an electrical fire. We recommend disconnecting power to the outlet at your fuse box and not using the outlet until it has been evaluated or repaired by a professional.
For more information about electrical repair and installation, please give us a call. If you’re in our Raleigh, North Carolina service area, you can schedule service online with Weather Master.
Weather Master has been serving Wake, Durham, Granville, Orange, Chatham and Johnston Counties since 1977. By providing the very best in air conditioning, heating and plumbing equipment, and electrical service, Weather Master strives to deliver world-class service with a small-company touch.