Five Common Home Electrical Problems And What To Do About Them
Electricity is so essential to powering modern life and so prevalent that it's easy to take it for granted and assume that the current will always be there when you plug in a lamp or appliance. However, like any other home system, things can go work that impede the safe and effective flow of electrical current through your home. It's wise to keep these common electrical issues in mind, so that you can get them repaired before the situation becomes dangerous.
1. Flickering or dimming lights. Lights that flicker or dim indicate a problem with surges in the electrical current. This may happen randomly or when a major appliance, such as your refrigerator or furnace kicks in. The cause of flickering lights could be a problem with your wiring or indicate that you need to add a new circuit.
2. A breaker that keeps tripping or won't reset. Another common household electrical problem is when a circuit breaker is continually tripping or won't reset. This is likely caused by the situation the breaker system is designed to prevent--an excess of current going to a particular circuit. That's a good thing. Without the breaker, you'd likely have a fire. Leave the circuit breaker in the "off" position until an electrician has an opportunity to look at it.
3. An outlet that won't work. An outlet (or half an outlet) that doesn't work is a sign of loose wiring or a problem with the current going to that particular receptacle.
4. Hot overhead lights. Overhead lights that overheat can be dangerous and a fire hazard. Often this issue is caused by using bulbs of a higher wattage than recommended by the manufacturer. Using LED bulbs can usually solve this situation, as they generate much less heat than incandescent bulbs. If this doesn't solve the problem, it's time to have your wiring checked out.
5. A lamp or fixture that uses a lot of light bulbs. If a fixture or a lamp needs the bulb replaced more often than other fixtures in your home, it could be a sign that the socket or electrical box is overheating and needs to be replaced.
Most electrical issues, such as those detailed above, are poor candidates for DIY projects. The risk of fire and/or electrocution is just too great. All but the simplest electrical issues require the skill, training and experience of a licensed electrician like AAA Home Services.
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