Air conditioning, water heating, appliances, lighting, and media equipment consume the most extensive electricity usage of any household in the US. True enough, we become more and more dependent on electricity for necessity, comfort, and entertainment. 

However, electrical problems like short circuits, wire sticking from outlets, or flickering lights can cause financial constraints and worst, property damage if not addressed immediately. In other cases, the old circuits may not be compatible with the current electronic devices or lighting fixtures. 

If you are experiencing a sudden surge of electric bills lately and frequent bulb burnouts these are red flags that something is wrong with your electrical system. These issues can be both stressful and aggravating.

To avoid these mishaps, here are some common electrical problems and how to solve them.

Circuit breaker problems

The circuit breaker is the sole protector of an electrical circuit against damages caused by overcurrent/overload or a short circuit. Its job is to interrupt current flow when a fault is detected. Generally, a circuit breaker is designed to warn you when there’s an electrical problem by tripping or turning off automatically. 

Whenever this happens, you should know that it indicates other electrical issues in your home. But, don’t panic yet. If your circuit breaker suddenly trips and there’s no sign of a storm outside, acknowledge other home activities that are using electricity. What if the giant television is on while you’re baking a cake, doing some laundry, and vacuuming the floors.

Using multiple electric appliances all at once can surpass the current flow of electricity beyond safe capacity, resulting in a tripped circuit breaker. 

If that’s not the case, it’s time to request a licensed electrician or handyman to come and inspect your house for signs of bad wiring and other complex electrical problems.

Scarce or dead outlets 

Houses that don’t have enough outlets to accommodate the need of the house owners can lead to the dependence on extension cords, increasing the probability of frequent surges. If your house does have few outlets, make sure to use a heavy-duty or UL-listed surge protector to extend the cord range while you wait for your trusted electrician to install new outlets. 

Take note that you should never meddle with a dead outlet. When an outlet suddenly stops working, it means that they have faulty wiring or are burned out. In the worst case, using these dead outlets could spark a fire and damage your home. 

Since you have done your part, don’t put your home at more risk by ignoring the scarcity and dead outlets. Hire a professional handyman so that you can use your appliances safely.

Electricity Surges

A surge happens when there is an energy spike in charge within the power lines, which increases the current of your outlets. Often, surges result in the rapid on-off of electrical appliances like refrigerators and televisions.

Repeated exposure to electrical surges can damage electronics and reduce their lifespan. Frequently, surges are caused by damaged power lines, lightning strikes, and electric company slip-ups. 

As a well-prepared homeowner, you can use surge protectors to defend your appliances against surge-related damages. 

If your electrical appliances at home still surge regularly, contact a trusted electrician to inspect and correct the problem.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that “common” doesn’t mean simple when it comes to electrical solutions. These are just a few of the common electrical problems homeowners encounter and what they can do to address them. It’s important to remember that you’re just one call away from contacting a reliable and efficient handyman service near you.