The Doctor Is In!
When a storm is approaching, the lights in your home may flicker, blink or dim. Many times the power nearby has gone out, but even if your power
stays on, dimming and flickering may still occur. Plus, there are other reasons why this may happen. Surges in your electrical system from appliances and equipment inside your home like refrigerators, sump pumps, hair dryers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and heating and AC systems can be the cause.
Occasional events are somewhat normal, however persistent and consistent dimming and blinking can be a signal that trouble might be brewing in your home’s electrical system.
Common causes for a circuit breaker to trip or a fuse to blow are hair dryers running with too many lights. This frequently happens in older homes particularly when more than one high-power appliance like a blow dryer is in use. When the outlet for the holiday lights turns off, this can be due to an overload or faulty lights. When using the vacuum and the lights go out there is likely to be an overload on the circuit. Power tools used in combination with lights can trigger the same result, just like when the microwave and coffee pot operate at the same time in the kitchen.
It can be frustrating when what was working yesterday is not working today. The electrical system in your home is a spider web maze of wires, boxes, switches, outlets and lights, any of which can fail at any time for seemingly no apparent reason.
You may have one light in a group that simply doesn’t come on. The dimmer switch for a chandelier doesn’t dim the light anymore. The exterior light on the front door will not turn off. The sump pump trips the breaker or pops a fuse. Sometimes the switch or outlet makes a sizzling sound. Sometimes the plug doesn’t fit tightly into the wall socket. All these situations can be puzzling, frustrating and concerning to homeowners.
The electrical systems in our homes can be complicated. They are safe and reliable for the most part, however when the conditions mentioned above present themselves, calling on a licensed, professional electrical contractor to investigate can make all the difference in keeping you, your family and your home safe, comfortable and secure.
Cases like this first require a DIAGNOSIS, much like going to your doctor when you have an ailment. Many times, the diagnosis can take longer to complete than the actual repair, replacement or procedure. However, the diagnosis is crucial to fixing the issue, followed by the RECOMMENDED REPAIR, just like when your doctor prescribes medication and/or a procedure after the diagnosis is made.
