The electrical system is one of the vital elements in a home. With close to every item in the house utilizing electric energy, electrical problems can be the biggest headache for homeowners. While calling an electrician is always an option when faced with these problems, there are a few things that homeowners can do before they make that call. This write-up seeks to expound on some intuitive ideas that can help you troubleshoot your electrical problems before you contact a professional electrician.
1. Check the Fuse or the Circuit Breaker
Most electrical systems have circuit breakers which help regulate the electrical energy being used. When you overload the electrical system, the circuit breaker switches off to prevent damage of appliances and other items. Therefore, when the power goes off, you can open the circuit breaker panel and turn on the switch. For those in houses that use fuses to regulate electric current, check to see if they are discolored, cloudy or melted. It is imperative that you check outside to see if your neighbors have. You may start troubleshooting your electrical system only to realize that it was a power outage that affected the entire region.
2. Overlamping
Although this is a less obvious cause of electrical malfunctions, it is one of the things that electricians checkout when troubleshooting for problems in the electrical system. Overlamping means that the bulb is installed in the fixture comes with a higher wattage than it can handle. A good example is when you install a 150-watt bulb in a lamp that can only handle 70 watts. This can lead to the damage of wires leading to the fixture, melting of the socket or even cause a significant fire risk dubbed as arc faults.
3. Learn Some Basic Signs that Indicate a Potential Electric Problem
Some visible signs can indicate that you are about to face bigger issues in the future. You can check out for things such as flickering or dimming of lights, unidentifiable burning smell, light sparks in sockets, regular switching off of the circuit breaker, and cloudy or discolored bulb, fuses, and switches. When you detect these signs early, you can call professionals such as electrician Fort Lauderdale to come and isolate the problem before it magnifies into something big.
4. Resetting the GFCI Outlet
Since electrical systems have Ground-fault Circuit Interrupter outlets which ensure that there is an even flow of electricity in the circuit, homeowners should learn how to reset the outlets when they are facing power problems. This technique comes in handy, especially when the problem is in one outlet. All you need to do is press the reset button at the GFCI outlets and listen for a clicking sound which indicates that it’s functioning correctly.
Although there are some serious electrical problems that only qualified electricians can solve, there are others that you can troubleshoot by yourself. Therefore, it is crucial that you try out the ideas discussed in this text before you call a professional electrician. Some of the ideas may not give a long lasting solution, but they will buy you enough time to pull together the finances needed to conduct an overhaul of your electrical system. Additionally, they can help you detect problems early enough and avoid major catastrophes that may be expensive to repair.
