Most electrical problems need to be handled by a licensed electrician, like the ones at A&H Electric. If you are not a qualified professional, a mistake could be made that could cause an electrical fire and the results could be disastrous! Every year many house fires are caused by improper electrical wiring, so if you aren’t sure, don’t try to fix it yourself. There are, however, a few problems that can be safely solved with a little bit of troubleshooting.
- Flickering Lights
The first thing you should check is whether or not the light bulb is screwed all the way into the socket. If it is, then check that it is the correct wattage for the light fixture. If it isn’t, that could cause the fixture to overheat and start a fire. If it is the correct wattage, get a new bulb and replace the old one. The old one could be burned out. If the light fixture still doesn’t work, the problem could be its cord, or the electrical outlet you are using.
2. Check the Cord
Frayed or damaged electrical cords can be a dangerous problem. Check them for fraying or breaks that can expose the wires inside. Also, check them for melted or brown spots that can indicate a short in the wiring. If this is the case, you should no longer use the item and consult with a licensed electrician to have it repaired.
3. An Outlet That Doesn’t work
The first thing you should do is see if the other outlets and light switches nearby are working. If not, you may have lost the power to your whole house, or possibly a circuit breaker may have been tripped. Go to the electrical panel in your home and make sure all of the breakers are in the on position. If you find one in the off position, turn it back on. If that does not solve your problem, you should call in an electrician.
4. Circuit Breaker Trips
If you turn a circuit breaker back on and it trips again, this could mean that the circuit is overloaded. Overloaded circuits can overheat and cause an electrical fire! You can try turning off some of the electrical appliances in your home and see if this keeps the breaker from tripping. Remember not to plug in too many appliances into one outlet and to turn them off when you are not using them. If this does not keep the breaker from tripping, you could have a short circuit. This is a dangerous problem and you should call a licensed electrician to fix it.
If you have any of the above problems and you need the help of a licensed professional, give A & H Electric a call at (936) 756-0442 or visit our website by clicking here.
If you would like to read the original article that inspired this blog post, click here.