The electrical wiring in your home is typically one of it’s most reliable components, but when it fails it can make life very frustrating. Finding electrical faults and making repairs to them is not something the average homeowner is qualified to do and often the attempts can make the problem worse. This is certainly not a mistake a homeowner wants to make because electrical shorts can lead to fires which can cause thousands of dollars in damage or even the death of a loved one.
Sometimes, there is little indication of a problem when the wiring in your home fails, but in some instances you may see flickering lights when you plug in or turn on an appliance. Alternately, you may see electrical sparks when you use an outlet or flip a switch. These are signs you can’t afford to ignore, especially when the sparks are visible or you get a whiff of the acrid smell of burning plastic. Your first step is to turn off the breaker to stop the flow of electricity. If you aren’t certain which breaker this is then turn of the mains. These are usually the large set of switches in the breaker box and are generally marked.
Once you have the electrical power under control you need to contact an Electrical Company Washington DC who can come and test your home for problems. At this point it might be difficult to diagnose your situation with the little information available, but discussing the problem with the contractor could help them pinpoint where the trouble originated and may even help them make the repairs sooner.
Of course, not all electrical problems are major issues. In fact, some could be simple overloading of the circuit from having too many appliances connected in one area of the home. In these cases the best option is to have an electrician expand the wiring by adding an additional circuit breaker and wire as your needs require. For example, if you wish to expand your media center but the electrical demands are too high the electrician can usually run the new wiring through the attic area and down the wall. Placing the electrical load on it’s own line not only protects your home, it also reduces the risk of voltage spikes to your valuable electronic equipment.
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