5 Common Home Electrical Problems

Despite the many benefits of owning a home, homeownership comes with a slew of responsibilities, projects, and issues that require attention. Many home issues, like gutters that need to be replaced or an air conditioner that needs a tune-up, don’t require immediate fixes. Although fixing them sooner rather than later would certainly help prevent complications or additional damage, putting them on the backburner for a couple of weeks isn’t generally dangerous. Electrical problems, on the other hand, can be. When you notice an electrical issue in your home, you can’t wait until next weekend to investigate — you need to assess the situation immediately. That’s because failing to address an electrical issue can have serious consequences, including ruining expensive electronics and appliances, dangerous electrical shocks, and even house fires. At Randy’s Electric, our expert electricians are here to address any home electrical problem you’re dealing with and give you advice on how to avoid future issues. Keep reading to learn about five common home electrical problems.

Is something off with your home’s electrical wiring? Oftentimes, homeowners can tell when something’s wrong, even if they can’t diagnose the issue. We’re here to help.

‍Contact a trusted from Randy's Electric for an assessment.

1. Flickering Lights

Does the light over your kitchen table flicker every time you sit down for a family meal? Don’t worry, you (probably) haven’t made the attic ghost angry — the flickering is most likely caused by an electrical issue. Whereas occasional flickering or dimming is normal, daily flickering can indicate a problem. The first thing you should do is replace the light bulb and see if that helps. If the flickering persists, it could be caused by one of the following:

• Circuit overload. If your lights start flickering when you plug another appliance in, you could be dealing with a circuit overload. You may need to upgrade or install new electrical circuits to fix the problem.
• Voltage change. Your home’s voltage range should fall between 115 and 125 volts. When it jumps outside of this range, your lights may flicker. A voltage change outside of the normal range is dangerous and should be diagnosed by a professional.
• Loose wiring. If the flickering problem is getting consistently worse, you may be dealing with loose wiring. Loose wiring anywhere in your home is a fire hazard and requires immediate home wiring service.

Circuit, voltage, and wiring issues all require assessment from a professional electrician. If you suspect one of these issues is causing flickering lights or you’re unsure of what the problem is, contact Randy’s Electric for flickering lights repair in Minneapolis.

2. Tripped Breaker

Many modern devices have high wattage requirements that older homes were not designed to support. As a result, homeowners can trip the breaker when doing something as basic as plugging in the microwave. For most people, living in a home with limited power access is not ideal, and the patchwork setups of extension cords and power strips required to mitigate the problem can present additional dangers. If you’re constantly tripping the breaker in your home, you may want to consider contacting an MN electrical contractor for breaker panel service and repair.

3. Hot Outlets

Do you ever reach to unplug a device and notice that your power outlet is hot to the touch? This isn’t normal, and it shouldn’t be ignored. A hot outlet can indicate faulty wiring or other damage that can have serious consequences and even start a house fire. It’s important to call a professional electrician as soon as you notice a hot outlet. They may choose to replace the outlet or some of the wiring around the outlet.

4. Loose Outlets

Plugs should not be falling out of your outlets. If they are, that means that the contacts inside of the outlet that are designed to grip cord prongs are no longer working as they should. Although a device can sometimes still get power when only partially plugged in, it is not a secure connection. Insecure connections put you at risk for electrocution. Your best option is to contact an MN electrical contractor to replace the outlet.

5. Burned Light Bulbs

All light bulbs burn out eventually. However, if your light bulbs are burning out frequently, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with an electrical issue. Many issues can cause light bulbs to burn out, including the following:

• A power supply problem. If the voltage gets too high, it could blow out the bulb.
• A loose bulb connection. If a lightbulb won't screw firmly into place, you could be dealing with a connection issue in the socket.
• Loose wiring. Loose or damaged wiring could send small surges to the bulb, causing it to break.

Frequently blown out lights are more than just an inconvenience; they're a potential fire hazard. Additionally, broken bulbs on their own can be dangerous. LED bulbs can contain toxic compounds like arsenic and lead that you don't want all over your floor, especially if you have young children in the house.

When Should I Call an Electrician?

Ideally, you should call an electrician as soon as you notice one of these issues, as they represent significant danger. In fact, issues like faulty wiring account for about 51,000 fires each year, as well as nearly 500 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries. Unless you are experienced in electrical work and plan on addressing the issue immediately, you should call a professional electrician whenever you notice these common electrical issues.

Call Randy's Electric

Are you dealing with a home electrical problem? Don’t risk your family’s safety — call Randy’s Electric, Minneapolis electricians you can trust. At Randy’s Electric, we’re proud to have served the Minneapolis Metro area since 2002. We’ve established trust in our community by providing spectacular service, phenomenal customer care, and upfront, affordable pricing. We treat our customers' homes with the respect we’d give our own homes, and when we take on a project, we do it right the first time.

Whether you need home wiring, home safety services, or electrical services, Randy Electric has got you covered. Visit us online to learn what we’re all about and give us a call at (612) 662-0104 when you’re ready to schedule service.