6 Common Electrical Problems

6 common electrical problems

Electrical failures can cause more than frustration – they can cause serious damage to your wiring and even an electrical fire hazard. Assessing the source of the electrical failure is crucial, and once you’ve identified the root of the problem, consider reaching out to a reputable Alpharetta electrician so that electrical repairs can be made as soon as possible. Electrical failures are common, and you may have to spend some time troubleshooting before recognizing the cause of the complication.

Overlamping

Overlamping occurs when a light fixture possesses a light bulb that has a higher wattage than the fixture was meant to handle. This error may result from old wiring. If overlamping occurs, the socket can heat up, and the wires can melt, leading to damage to the fixture and the potential for an electrical fire.

Burned Outlets

The wire insulation may be melted if an outlet pops and sparks when you insert a plug into an outlet. After the spark, a flare can burn out the outlet and cause blackening around the plugs. You should stop using this outlet immediately and contact your electrician promptly so that an electrical fire does not cause further damage.

Aluminum Wiring

In the past, aluminum served as an inexpensive substitute for copper wiring, but aluminum is no longer safe because of its tendency to corrode when connections loosen and when it comes into contact with copper. To correct this problem in your light fixtures, your electrician can retrofit a dielectric wire nut for the aluminum wire to copper connection. The grease in the nuts should cease the corrosion of aluminum.

Tripped Circuit Breaker

When your circuit breaker trips, your outlets can stop working. This problem can occur because you are overloading the circuit with too many devices or the knob on the breaker is stuck in the middle of “on” and “off.” You can reset breakers on the panel that are turned off.

Switched Plugs

If the builder of your home installed a switch that manages only half of the outlets in a room, you will have to identify all of the home’s switches and their functions. Builders wire houses in this way so that homeowners do not have to walk over to a lamp to turn it on. They can simply flip a switch.

Backstabbed Wiring

Backstabbed wiring occurs when wires have been pushed into connectors that grip the wires inside electrical devices and appliances. Backstabbed wires create a loose connection, resulting in burned out wires and a dead circuit.

If you experience electrical complications, contacting an experienced Alpharetta electrician like Old-Fashioned Electric is a wise decision. Specialists will discover the cause of your wiring problem and will repair the damage to prevent any further harm to your wiring and devices.

If you are looking for an Electrician in the Alpharetta area, please call Old-Fashioned Electric at 678-334-7758 or fill out our online request form.