If you’re having trouble with your electrical wiring or devices in Wheat Ridge, a local electrician like Sin Jac Electric can be of great help. The good news is that not all problems are “bad” enough to require expert support. However, as you will see in some of the examples below, it’s always better to be safe, especially when working with greater loads and potentially dangerous electrical circuitry.
- Electrical Surges
Surges are pretty common, and they can occur due to lightning strikes, faulty wiring, or large electrical appliances turning on and off. A bad surge can fry some of your electrical installations and devices, and they can also be quite dangerous.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help protect your home and family against electrical surges. Have your electrician install surge protectors at your main electrical panel and individual outlets to protect your devices. If the problem is enduring, be sure to consult your electrician and get them to do a thorough inspection of your home’s wiring.
- Tripping Circuit Breakers
In some cases, overloaded circuits, short circuits, or faulty appliances can cause circuit breakers to trip. If the problem is severe, you might experience problems with your circuit breakers over and over again.
A good way to deal with this problem is to identify and unplug any overloaded appliances or devices connected to the circuit. Of course, that might not do the trick, so it’s a good idea to talk to a professional Wheat Ridge electrician and have them investigate and potentially upgrade your electrical panel or circuits.
- Outlets Not Working
It’s possible for faulty outlets or tripped GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets to lead to some or even all of your outlets to stop working. This issue is at the very least annoying, but it can also be hazardous depending on what caused your outlets to malfunction to begin with.
A good tip in this case is to reset any tripped GFCI outlets by pressing the reset button. If that doesn’t work, check the circuit breaker to see if it has tripped.
Unfortunately, there isn’t too much you can do safely beyond that point. The most prudent way to handle the situation is to avoid anyone using the outlets until an experienced electrician can take a look at them and determine what went wrong.
4, Flickering Lights
Flickering lights might seem like a simple problem, but they can also be very misleading, as well as dangerous. Some of the possible causes include, loose connections, faulty light bulbs, or inadequate wiring can lead to flickering lights.
It’s good practice to replace any faulty bulbs, ensuring they are compatible with the fixture. Also, have your electrician check your wiring and make sure that your outlets and connections haven’t been affected by water damage.
- Overheating Switches or Outlets
This problem is sometimes caused by faulty switches/outlets, but it can also be a result of overusing your outlets or plugging in too many high current devices. An outlet that can support only 2 kW shouldn’t have a load that is higher than that value. If it does, it can easily overheat and malfunction.
Ensure that outlets and switches are not overloaded by reducing the number of devices connected. Replace any faulty switches or outlets. Before trying anything more elaborate, be sure to talk to your electrician and ask for additional advice.