Solving Common Electrical Problems in a Home

- 2:20 pm - September 7th, 2018

Houses come with a lot of upkeep! The electrical system within your home may be very unfamiliar to you, but when issues arise with outlets, lights or appliances, it’s always the most noticeable and inconvenient. If you understand what’s going on with your home’s electrical system, it might help you realize when the issue needs to be addressed by E.T. Lawson’s professional electricians so that you can make the call.

Here are some common electrical problems that can occur in a home:

Light Bulbs

• Light bulbs are flickering or blinking? This is likely due to a poor connection somewhere along the circuit. If the blink happens through much of the home, a wire back at the panel could be the one having trouble.
• Recessed lights turning off and then back on later? This is likely caused from the built-in safety “cutout” that keeps the light from overheating. It’s telling you that the wrong style or wattage of bulb is being used, or that ceiling insulation is too close around the light.
• Some lights get extra bright while others dim? Bulbs may even be popping, and an electronic appliance or two may have stopped working recently. This is a condition that can cause a lot of damage to equipment in the home, and it’s a result of a bad main neutral connection.

Outlets

• Set of outlets or lights went dead? If you have reset any breakers or GFCIs that might’ve tripped, you are probably left with a poor connection somewhere along the electrical circuit.
• Half of an outlet works, but the other half doesn’t always work? Even after years in your home, you may not be aware that one half of the outlet is energized by a wall switch. The other common cause is that use over time has caused the outlet to become loose, and not grip cords as securely.
• Outlets have gone dead in bathrooms, the garage, kitchen, or outdoors? The outlets in these particular areas require GFCIs, which sense a problem that might cause harm to the user and cut off the power as a safety measure.

If you experience these problems, or any other issues with the electrical system in your home, the quickest and smartest way to fix it is to call E.T. Lawson! Sometimes, using a lower-wattage bulb can help alleviate problems with lighting fixtures, but for bigger projects it’s important to call a professional. Need help with the electricity in your home? Contact us today!