As a homeowner, you have a lot of components that make your home function comfortably. Your electrical system may be one that you’re not too familiar with. Getting your common electrical questions answered can help you to better understand your electrical system and the benefit of having a skilled Lakeland electrical contractor on speed dial.

Why Do My Lights Flicker?

If you’ve ever had the power go out from a thunderstorm, you’ll notice that they tend to flicker on and off prior to going dead. This flickering is indicating a lack of power for the system. There could be multiple causes for flickering lights. Some common issues may be voltage fluctuations in your power supply or loose wiring. In either case, you should contact a Lakeland electrical contractor to remedy the situation. Flickering lights are not only annoying but they can be increasing your power bill and can eventually lead to a house fire.

Why Is My Breaker Tripping?

If you’ve noticed that you’ve lost power to a section of your home, you’ve likely gone to your electrical panel to discover a breaker that was tripped. It’s best to think of this tripping mechanism as a form of defense for your home and its safety. When there is too much of a load on your electrical circuit, it will trip the breaker. This is to prevent the wiring from overheating and causing a fire in your home.

Start by unplugging some items that are on that electrical circuit and reset the breaker to the on position. If the breaker doesn’t trip, you know you overloaded the circuit. If the breaker still trips, then it may be due to a ground fault or short circuit. In either scenario, it’s best to call up your electrician to identify the source of the tripping.

Should My House Be Rewired?

Everyone knows that rewiring a house can get expensive. Therefore, you want to ensure that it’s a must before you invest in upgrading to a new electrical system. The truth is that it really depends on what electrical problems you may be experiencing. Some common indications that it’s time to upgrade your old wiring are blown fuses, outlet sparks, flickering lights, and burning smells that occur on a regular basis.

Can I Repair My Own Electrical System?

It’s important to state that electricity can be very dangerous. If you don’t have any idea of what you’re doing, then pay an electrician to handle the issue. You don’t want to get severely injured due to a lack of knowledge. With that said, many homeowners can do minimal repairs on their system. These can be things like changing out a light housing, light switches, or receptacles. Make sure you always kill the power to the electrical circuit you’re working on before you get started.

What Is A GFCI Oulet?

GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter. This is a type of outlet that is used in wet areas of your home like the bathroom and kitchen. You’ll notice the distinct rectangular shape of these outlets alongside a reset and test button. This type of specialized outlet works to kill the power to the circuit if it senses a difference in the outgoing and incoming current. This helps to prevent electric shock due to faults in the electrical system.

What’s The Difference Between A Fuse And A Breaker?

You may have noticed that an older home has fuses in the electrical panel instead of the newer breakers. Both fuses and breakers perform the same functions of disrupting the flow of power when there is a fault sensed in the system. The major difference between these two is that a fuse has to be replaced when it trips. A circuit breaker can be easily reset after a trip. This is what makes them more widely used than fuses.

What Is A Short Circuit?

A short circuit is easily defined as an electrical current that comes into unnecessary contact with a ground wire. This causes the current to create excessive heat which causes sparking. If you’ve witnessed a spark in your electrical panel, then you’ve seen a short circuit in action. When dealing with short circuits, it’s best to call in an experienced electrician.

Should I Upgrade From 100 To 200 Amp Service?

Many older homes have 100 amp electrical panels. This worked perfectly for older generations when there wasn’t as much need for power throughout the home. However, new technology has increased the amount of amperage that many homeowners need for all their appliances and personal devices. Therefore, it’s well worth the money to upgrade to a 200 amp service to ensure you always have power when you need it.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of your electrical system. As a homeowner, you should be on the lookout for potential problems with your system so that they can be remedied. In most scenarios, it’s best to contact an electrician to handle the repairs so they’re done safely.

Your Next Move

You should always contact a licensed electrician whenever you consider upgrading or repairing anything electrical. Electricity is nothing to play with, and attempting to fix a problem on your own could worsen your issue or create a bigger problem than you know how to fix. When it comes to installing dedicated circuits, you want to make sure the process goes smoothly and causes no issues.

At D.O.C. Electric Inc., we have the know-how to assist you. We’ll send out a professional Lakeland electrician to help you figure out which appliances deserve dedicated circuits so that you can configure the electricity of your home more efficiently and logically. To get in contact with a Lakeland electrician at our company, contact us, and we’ll help you get your circuits sorted out.