Think about your home. What electrical repairs does your home need?
Even though we’ve been seeing a shift into alternate forms of energy such as solar and geothermal power in recent years, the truth is that normal energy and residential electrical services will be in need for quite some time into the future. Like anything involved with the generation of energy, electricity-based systems are prone to certain issues that must be addressed.
To help you get a handle on what you may deal with from time to time, we’ve compiled some common electrical home repairs that your house may need.
Burnt Out Light Bulbs
One of the most common of all electrical home repairs could also possibly be the simplest to fix. Light bulbs may burn out because the voltage is too high for the bulb, a circuit or switch is faulty, there’s not enough airflow around it, and a few other reasons. Those reasons may necessitate a professional repair, but if the bulb is simply old, try replacing it with newer, eco-friendly bulbs such as LED or CFL.
Tripping Circuit Breaker
At some point, we’ve all dealt with a tripping circuit breaker. This is often the result of plugging in too many appliances to a single outlet that simply can’t handle the voltage, but it could indicate problems with the breaker itself. There may be a short circuit, ground fault, arc fault, or be an indication of age. If it trips on a regular basis, replacement may be necessary.
Flickering Lights
The simple solution with a flickering light is to tighten the bulb so that it makes a better connection. You can also try removing the bulb to ensure that something isn’t impeding the connection. Besides that, it could be due to a faulty switch, poor wiring, or too many appliances on a single circuit. If it’s a faulty switch, you can replace it yourself or have a professional do it. If it’s a wiring problem, though, you definitely want to call a pro to have the electrical work done.
Hot Ceiling Fixtures
Electrical home repairs come in all shapes and sizes. If you touch a ceiling fixture and the area surrounding it feels warm, this could be due to the use of bulbs that exceed the recommended wattage. In these cases, you can switch to LED or CFL bulbs, which don’t generate as much heat. If this doesn’t seem to be the issue, however, then it could be due to a lack of sufficient insulation. An electrician will be able to analyze the problem and offer the proper solution.
Frequent Surges
Surges in your electrical system can be the result of a nearby lightning strike, faulty appliances, electrical wiring problems, or power line damage. A single surge of electricity isn’t a big deal, but frequent surges can damage your home’s electrical components and lower their operational lifespan. If you have any devices hooked up that may not be well-made, unplug them and see if that helps. If the problem persists, it’s probably time to call an electrician.
Non-Working Outlets
This is one of those bothersome problems that many homeowners seem to let go for a very long time. You plug a device into an outlet and it doesn’t work, so you simply switch to another outlet. As electrical home repairs go, this one’s pretty simple, too. Depending on what the precise issue is, you may or may not need the help of a professional. If you’re comfortable with replacing an outlet yourself, you can try that first. If it’s the wiring and not the outlet that’s bad, you’ll need to call an electrician.
Electrical Shocks
Every electrician has received multiple shocks in their careers. It’s an occupational hazard. In fact, electrical shocks from some sources can be strong enough to knock them off their feet. For most shocks that you may experience at home, they’re likely to be mild. Even so, this isn’t something that you want to mess with, so it’s not really worth testing to see if it’s a specific device that’s causing the shock. It’s much safer if you call an electrician right away.
Burning Odors
An electrical burning odor should automatically send up a big red flag. This could indicate an issue with a device that you’ve plugged in, but a wiring issue is very often the culprit. This could easily turn into a fire hazard if it hasn’t already, so if this is your issue, call a professional electrician right away. To be safe, switch off the circuit leading to whichever outlet seems to be the source, unplug all devices, and leave the circuit off until the pro arrives.
Contact Pinellas County Electric for Electrical Home Repairs
Putting your trust in a reputable electrician in Pinellas County is the best way to deal with electrical home repairs as they arise. If you have any questions or would like to request your electrical service, give the team at Pinellas County Electric a call at (727) 269-1982 today to schedule a free consultation.
