Don’t Ignore These Common Electrical Problems; Call Your Electrician As Soon As You Notice Them | Arlington, TX
Generally, electrical problems aren’t DIY fixes. If you experience any of the following commonplace electrical issues around your home, it’s best to contact a certified electrician to inspect the problem and provide the ideal repair. Tioga Plumbing & Electric services Arlington, TX, with a complete lineup of electrical services. Don’t risk yourself or your property by attempting a DIY fix or choosing an inexperienced or unlicensed operator. The following are some of the most common reasons that customers should contact an electrician for service.
Flickering Lights
Have you noticed that one or a couple of your lights flicker? Sometimes when strong winds blow through, you might notice flickering. In any case, flickering lights are a cause for concern. It often indicates that there’s a short or frayed wiring. To reduce the risk of an electrical fire, it’s important to let an electrician inspect the root cause of this problem. We have all the diagnostic equipment needed to find out why this problem is occurring so we can quickly fix it.
Dead Outlets
A dead outlet is a nuisance, especially if your home doesn’t have an abundance of electrical outlets. However, a dead outlet is definitely a problem that demands the skills of a trained professional. When an outlet stops working, it’s often because it simply ‘burned out.’ There may be faulty wiring like loose wiring. When you contact Tioga Plumbing & Electric to inspect this problem, we’ll determine why your outlet is dead and how to safely bring it back to life. Also, if your home doesn’t have an adequate number of electrical outlets, we can install more so that you won’t find yourself overloading existing outlets.
Ungrounded Outlets
Older homes may not have outlets that are grounded. Ungrounded outlets are easy to identify because they only have two receptacles for plugs instead of three. Not only will you be unable to plug in cords that have three prongs, as many modern devices do, you have a possible hazard on your hands. Ungrounded outlets are at increased risk of starting electrical fires. These types of outlets are more likely to shoot a couple of sparks if the electricity misfires, and that’s a common cause of house fires.
If you have ungrounded outlets in your Arlington, TX, home or commercial property, you should contact Tioga Plumbing & Electric right away so we can update them for you. Let a skilled electrician from our team make the updates and improve your home’s safety.
No GFCIs in Kitchen or Bathrooms
If you have an older home, you might notice that it doesn’t have GFCIs in the kitchen or bathrooms. This is a problem. Today, the electrical code demands that these outlet types, which reduce the risk of electrical shock, be installed within four feet of a sink, shower, or tub. GFCIs are designed to shut the circuit down immediately–before a deadly shock can occur. Electricity and water don’t mix, so it’s important to update your home’s electricity if it doesn’t have GFCIs.
Loose Outlet
A loose outlet is another inconvenience to look out for. When your outlet is loose it could cause whatever device you’re using at the time to slip from the outlet. But that’s not only inconvenient–it’s dangerous. Loose outlets can lead to electricity arcing–and that’s a fire hazard. Arcing means the electricity ‘jumps’ from one point to another, and when making the leap, any surrounding material can ignite. If you have a loose outlet, contact an electrician from our team to inspect the outlet and then make the necessary repair.
Strange Odor
If you notice that strange or unusual smells are coming from an electrical outlet, stop using it right away and contact us to send an electrician to your home to check it out. Sometimes if you plug in a brand new appliance, you’ll smell a strange odor. This is often the appliance’s finish or paint. On the other hand, if the device isn’t new and you smell the odor, be sure to unplug it quickly and stop using the outlet. If your circuit box smells strange, you should contact an emergency electrician right away as this is a cause of considerable concern.
Broken Lightswitch
A broken light switch is another frustrating problem, but it, too, maybe a fire risk for your home. A broken light switch may involve loose wiring. It’s important to let a certified electrician investigate this problem and make the necessary fix.
Circuit Breaker Issues
Do you have a circuit breaker that keeps tripping? A breaker will trip when it’s overloaded–which is what it’s designed to do. However, if it continues to trip, there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. As the hub of your home’s electrical system, your circuit breaker panel is extremely important–and extremely dangerous. Don’t attempt a DIY fix if you suspect that a breaker has worn out. These jobs are best left to the experts.
Electrical System Inspections
If you experience these or other electrical problems, it’s a good idea to have your system inspected. As homes age, their wiring ages too. To ensure that your electrical system is safe and in proper functioning condition, you can call an electrical service company like ours to carefully inspect it. Also, never ignore seemingly small electrical problems. As you may have noticed, there are no small electrical problems. It’s always important to address any issues that occur with your electrical system to reduce the risk of a hazard.
If you need an electrician in the Arlington, TX, area, contact Tioga Plumbing & Electric. Our electrical pros will bring everything needed to troubleshoot the problem. We can also perform a wide range of related services such as installing new fixtures or more outlets. Call us to learn more about our services or to schedule a service call.
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