San Jose Electrician: When do you need help with your electrical system?

When something goes wrong with your electrical system it is not always easy to diagnose the problem.

Some problems can be detected quickly and some need hands on investigation, testing tools, time and professional know how.

If you have an electrical problem and not sure what to do, here is a short checklist that will help you to decide and take appropriate action.

Warnings of potential electrical hazards:

1. POWER OUTAGES in the house or a part of it
2. OVERRATED electrical panel
3. DIM/FLICKERING lights
4. ARCS/CPARKS in the system
5. SIZZLES/BUZZES coming from the wires
6. OVERHEATING
7. ODORS from the electrical gadgets
8. PERMANENTLY INSTALLED EXTENSION CORDS
9. LOOSE PLUGS in the walls
10. DAMAGED INSULATION of wires
11. ELECTRICAL SHOCKS from the system

All of these problems need your attention and immediate action because your safety might be at stake.

Solutions:

1. If you experience unexpected power outages, it means that fuses in your home need replacement or circuit breakers need resetting.
2. If your electrical panel is overheated, it means that your electrical panel contains fuse’s or circuit breaker rated at higher currents than the capacity of their branch circuits. You possibly need to repair or install a new electrical panel.
3. If your lights are flickering and the size of your TV picture is varies when the wind blows, it could be caused by bad contacts at the junction of the service entrance cable. This is a serious problem, do not at-tempt to correct it yourself or touch any of the equipment – call us (408) 459-8024, or your electric power company immediately for help.
4. If bright light flashes or shower’s of sparks produced anywhere in your electrical system, this part of the system needs to be examined and replaced. Sparking wires could result in a wall of fire, it is an emergency situation that needs to be addressed immediately by a professional, licensed, insured electrician. If you notice sparking wires in or out of your home, you need to shut off the circuit breakers immediately. Do not go near the area until the power has been turned off and call us for assistance.
5. If unusual sounds come from the electrical outlets, appliance or another system you want to turn that system off and obtain help from a qualified electrician.
6. Most electrical fires are caused by overheating of electrical parts such as receptacle, outlet power cords and plugs. Electrical parts might be warm but should never be hot, painful to touch or discoloured. There are three main causes of electrical overheating that lead to electrical fires: excessive current, poor connections, and insulation breakdown. Turn off your appliance and inspect the connectors, replace connector if damaged, loose or striped off insulation. Inspect the power supply, make sure it is not excessive and appropriate for your appliance or wire gauge. Call us for help if problem persists.
7. Odours from the electrical gadgets is a sign of overheating. Examine the situation, determine the cause, call us if you need help.
8. Permanently installed extension cords is an electrical safety code violation. Extension cords are intended only for short term use. Discontinue use of the extension cords, get a qualified electrician to install permanent wiring to extend your home system. Also know that extension cords must be protected from damage, and not run through doorways or windows where the doors or windows may close, causing damage to the cord.
9. Do you have loose plugs in the walls, attachment plugs that wobble or pull out of a receptacle easily? This can be another safety hazard that need to be addressed by professional electrician. Loose plugs tend to overheat and may spark the fire. Call us for repair of the loose plugs and outlets.
10. If wires in our home are frayed or damaged they can spark a fire or cause electrocution. Frayed wiring needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Call us to help you with this problem.
11. If you get a shock when you touch the outer shell of an electric lamp or socket, immediately unplug the lamp, check the receptacle outlet and the plug of the lamp cord to be sure that they are polarized – one blade wider than the other. lf not, they should be replaced with polarized ones by a qualified electrician.

Questions?
Please contacts us at (408) 459-8024 with all your questions or electrical safety concerns. We will schedule an appointment, examine the problem, fix it, and help you to make your home safe.

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