There are several reasons causing the occurring. However, one particular reason that should be ruled out, for the sake of fire safety, is overheating. A light fixture with poor airflow design will result in excessive heat buildup around the bulb. Having to replace bulbs again and again is not just an inconvenience, it’s also a fire hazard. Have your light fixtures inspected by a licensed electrician if you notice that bulbs are constantly blowing out.

When a wire carrying an electrical current comes into contact with the grounded conductor wire (neutral wire), or the equipment ground wire, excessive heat is created. If you see sparks in your electrical panel, you’ve likely witnessed a short circuit and you should have it checked by a licensed electrician.

They both perform the same function, disrupting the flow of electricity when a fault is detected. A fuse will have to be replaced once it has tripped, whereas a circuit breaker won’t need replacement. It is for this reason that circuit breakers are more commonly used. It becomes a mandate for some home insurance agencies that fuse panels are required to be replaced before the renewal of insurance policy.

It depends on the scope of the upgrade. Whether a main panel is needed, if the grounding system to the panel is in place, if the old knob-and-tube wires needed to be upgraded, and last but not least, the size of the house. The cost range is due to local code requirements, the accessibility of the work, overall electrical design, and as well as the future expandability.

A GFCI protected outlet or breaker can detect when more current is coming in on the hot wire than is exiting on the neutral wire. This shuts off the circuit quickly before the current can stray and cause shock or electrocution.

The GFCI protected outlet or breaker does not create a path to the ground. Only a connected ground wire and re-route the electrical current to the ground and save you from electrocution. GFCI protected outlets simply make the un-grounded outlet safer.

Grounding your electricity and using a GFCI outlet for your electrical protections are not the same. GFCI monitors the electric currents sent out by the circuit breaker. All currents that are hot or neutral are kept in check by the GFCI so that electrocution will not occur. Adding a GFCI to an ungrounded outlet or circuit breaker will only protect against ground faults.

Grounding your circuit breaker or outlet will minimize the chances of any shock or cause electrocution.

Outlets can stop working because of they are on a switch, they are simply broken, the wiring is bad, or the breaker has tripped.

You should test the breaker and other bedroom switches first, and then try replacing the outlet. Furthermore, understand that outlets are typically on a circuit. Therefore, if a circuit is interrupted before any outlets, all of the other outlets/power down the circuit will stop operating.

Dimmer switches use more electricity inside the switch so it’s normal they are warm or a little hot. Any switch however, that is over 130 degrees Fahrenheit should be replaced!

Breakers can trip simply because they are worn out or defect. Breakers’ tripping could also be a circuit overloaded. However, they could also be tripping because of an underlying problem with a wire or an appliance. Consult a licensed electrician.

a. If your lights are not LED bulbs, this can be because they have a loose connection somewhere. Either from the socket or switch, in the main or sub-panel, or in the wiring connection.

b. If you do have LED bulbs and your lights are flickering, this could be due to the bulbs themselves. Check with the LED bulbs if they are dimmable or compatible with the dimmer switch.

c. If a. and b. are checked, the light circuit could be overloaded. Check with the licensed electrician.

In most cases, older houses have 100 amps, but it depends on the size and the type of appliances, the square footage of the house. For instance, an older condo with gas appliance may only need 100 amps.

On the other hand, a new house with more than one item such as electric cooktop, electric dryer, electric oven, electric vehicle, jacuzzi, and/or solar system may need 200 amps or more.

It’s important to speak with an electrician or home inspector if you are suspecting you do not have enough amps to service your home.

This is a one of the most popular questions home owners will ask.

Below lists are considered unsafe outdated electrical panels that can be found in most older homes. They are not designed to meet the electricity demands and current National Electrical Codes (NEC). It is always recommended to replace them:
• Federal Pacific Panels
• Sylvania Panels
• Zinsco Panels
• Challenger Panels
• Fuse Boxes
• Double Taps

This type of electrical outlet is designed to protect you from electrical shock if moisture is present. They are commonly found in bathrooms, kitchens, outdoor outlets and garages. They feature test/reset buttons. Depress the “test” button to turn off the GFCI. The “reset” button turns it back on after it has tripped. It is advised that the GFCI outlets to be tested monthly. If it doesn’t reset when test, a new GFCI outlet replacement will be needed.

A GFCI is kind of like an AFCI. However, GFCI are for ground faults. This means the electric current takes a different path other than what is in the circuit. For instance, if an appliance malfunctions and then electrically shocks a person. An installed GFCI featured circuit breaker or outlet will sense the different path of electric current and stop electric flow and trip the circuit breaker or outlet.

GFCI’s are required to be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, garage, and outdoor.

An AFCI is an arc-fault circuit interrupter and its job is to stop electric flow when an “arc” or surge is detected. This would happen if wires are damaged.

Typically, AFCI’s come in the form of circuit breakers and are installed in newer electrical panels. AFCI’s protect most of the area in the house such as bedrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, and family room.