6 Electrical solutions for your home problems

Answers to common electrical questions

How many times have you asked yourself: “Why do I have to buy another light bulb AGAIN?” or “Why has the electricity bill SKYROCKETED in recent months?”. And the list can go on. In these cases, it is very important to determine the cause first and apply the right electrical solution to fix and remove the unwanted effect. Here are the most common electrical “WHYS”:

1) Why are electrical surges so frequent lately?

CAUSE: Electrical surges can be caused by a number of reasons, such as lightning strikes, damage to power lines, faulty appliances or bad electrical wiring in the house. If they happen very often, then an electrical device connected to the home grid or the wiring itself is probably responsible for the power surge.

ELECTRICAL SOLUTION:

• Try to remove any cheap devices or power boards one by one from the outlet to see if this prevents the surges. For your safety, you should also unplug any electrical appliances during lightning storms in order to prevent them from being damaged by power surges.
• If this doesn’t work, then your best option is to consult a qualified electrician.

2) Why are my light switches not working properly?

CAUSE: Most of the times, this is due to low-quality, unexperienced workmanship or sub-standard products.

If you have just moved into a new house and find switches that don’t seem to activate anything at all, this might be a sign the switches have been superseded and fixtures removed, or it could be a fault in the outlet, circuit or wiring.

ELECTRICAL SOLUTION:

• For your safety, we advise you not to handle the issue alone but to ask for a professional electrician advice.

3) Why does the circuit breaker trip so often?

CAUSE: Usually, high wattage items such as microwaves and hairdryers can trip circuit breakers, especially when other power consuming items are used at the same time and/or on the same source. Circuit breakers are designed to protect you, so when they trip, that’s a good sign of them doing their job.

If circuit breaker frequently trips it may be because of overloaded power boards. Most residencies don’t have enough power points to cater a complete home entertainment unit setup, so these cases are where circuit overloads may occur.

ELECTRICAL SOLUTION:

• Look at what you were using when it tripped. If possible, try using the “low” setting.
• Limit the electrical usage on a single circuit while high energy devices are in use.
• You may also remove devices that aren’t in use (for example, phone chargers that still draw power even when not connected).
• Spread your electrical needs around the house. Don’t overcrowd a single circuit.

4) Why do light bulbs burn out so fast?

CAUSE: There are many reasons why light bulbs have such a short life cycle, starting from very high wattage, bad wiring on the circuit or insulation made too close to the light.

If the light bulb is flickering, it may be because of a poor connection on the circuit.

ELECTRICAL SOLUTION:

• If you’re constantly replacing light bulbs, it might be worth reaching out to an electrician to help identify the root cause of light bulb burnouts.

5) Why do electrical shocks happen?

Electrical shocks are a serious business. They shouldn’t be ignored. Even though they are mostly insignificant (like a static shock), they remind us of the powerful force of electricity

CAUSE: Electrical shocks usually happen when you turn a device on or off. The culprit could be the appliance itself or it could be something wrong with the wiring.

ELECTRICAL SOLUTION:

• You can test this by plugging in another device, then see if the results are reproducible. However, you may be risking another electrical shock.
• The best way to deal and prevent electrical shocks from happening is to call a qualified electrician over.

6) Why is my electrical bill so high?

This is probably just the tip of the iceberg.

CAUSE: While there can be a long list of reasons your power bill is everything but low for the past few months, we narrowed it down to a few: “power eaters”, irresponsible use of electricity or damaged circuits.

ELECTRICAL SOLUTION:

• Learn about different electricity providers and switch to a more cost-effective one.
• Identify electrical devices that may be causing power surges.
• Look for any leaks in the hot water system and patch them accordingly.
• Repair damaged wiring or circuits.
• Save money and energy by unplugging appliances and chargers when not in use. Show that you care and be environmental friendly!

We hope that you find this article useful and return to it anytime you find yourself in one of the situations described earlier. If the electrical issue still persists, you can always count on us at Jaric Electrical. We will do our best to prevent or fix in a timely manner any electrical problem you may have at home.

Contact Jaric Electrical for electrical work at your home

The expert team at Jaric Electrical can offer you the advice you need around your home. To find out more, call Jaric Electrical on 1300 452 742 or contact us online.