Questions Homeowners Ask About Their Electrical
These are the questions we hear most, from people calling about a breaker that won’t stay on to owners planning a new panel or a car charger. They’re grouped by topic, and a short glossary at the end explains the words electricians use.
Safety and Warning Signs
What smells or sounds mean I should call right away?
A burning or hot plastic smell, buzzing or crackling from the panel or a wall, sparks at an outlet or switch, or a plate that feels warm. Turn off that circuit if you can do it safely, stop using it and call. If you see smoke, get out and call 911.
Is a warm outlet normal?
No. An outlet or switch should feel the same as the wall. Warmth usually means a loose connection or an overloaded device heating up.
Are two-prong outlets unsafe?
They have no ground, so three-prong plugs can’t be grounded and surge strips can’t protect properly. GFCI protection or a new grounded circuit are the usual fixes, depending on the wiring.
Repairs and Troubleshooting
Why did half of my outlets stop working?
Look for a tripped breaker or a tripped GFCI first. If neither is the cause, a loose connection at the panel or in one of the outlets is likely, and it needs an electrician.
Why do my lights dim when the AC starts?
Big motors pull a burst of current as they start. A brief dip can be normal; a deep or long one points to a weak connection or a service that’s too small for the house.
Can I replace a switch myself?
Many homeowners do, with the breaker off and the wiring tested dead. If the box is crowded, the wires are brittle or you find aluminum wire, stop and call.
Upgrades and Panels
How do I know my panel needs upgrading?
Breakers trip when big appliances run together, there’s no room for new circuits, it’s still a fuse box, or you’re adding an EV charger, AC or an electric range.
What size panel does a house need?
It depends on the size of the home and what runs in it. We work it out from your appliances and plans rather than picking a number first.
Does a panel upgrade need a permit?
A panel or service change usually needs a city permit and an inspection, and the utility has to disconnect and reconnect the service.
EV Chargers
Do I need a Level 2 charger?
If you drive more than a short commute each day or want a full charge overnight, Level 2 is the practical choice. A regular outlet works for light driving.
Can my panel handle a charger?
It depends on the main breaker size, the open spaces and what the house already draws. We check all three before installing.
Lighting and Outlets
What’s the difference between GFCI and AFCI?
A GFCI protects people from shock around water by cutting power when current leaks to ground. An AFCI protects against fire by cutting power when it senses arcing from damaged wire or loose connections.
Why do my LED bulbs flicker?
Usually a dimmer made for old incandescent bulbs, or a mix of bulbs on one dimmer. An LED-rated dimmer matched to the bulbs normally fixes it.
Can I add an outlet anywhere?
Most walls can take one. What matters is which circuit it joins and whether that circuit has room for what you’ll plug in.
Booking an Electrician
How do I book a visit?
Call us or send the request form on our Book an Appointment page with what’s happening, where and when it’s best to reach you.
Can I send photos of the problem?
Yes, by email after you send the form. A photo of the panel label, the outlet or the fixture helps us come prepared.
Do you work for landlords and businesses?
Yes. Landlords call us for their apartments and business owners for shops and offices, as well as homeowners for their houses.
For step-by-step help with a specific problem, the homeowner guides go further than these short answers.
Glossary of Electrical Terms
Type a word, or press the button to list every term.
- Amp
- A measure of how much current flows. Breakers, wire and panels are all rated in amps.
- Volt
- The electrical “pressure.” Homes here get 120 volts for outlets and lights, and 240 volts for big appliances and chargers.
- Watt
- The power a device uses: volts times amps. A 1,500-watt heater draws about 12.5 amps at 120 volts.
- Circuit
- One loop of wire from a breaker out to outlets, lights or an appliance and back.
- Breaker
- A switch in the panel that turns a circuit off by itself when too much current flows.
- Fuse
- The older one-time version of a breaker: a link inside melts to stop the current and must be replaced.
- GFCI
- Ground-fault circuit interrupter. Cuts power fast when current leaks to ground, as it can near water.
- AFCI
- Arc-fault circuit interrupter. Cuts power when it senses the sparking of damaged wire or a loose connection.
- Load
- Everything drawing power at once. A load calculation adds it up to size a circuit or a panel.
- Panel
- The box, often called the breaker box, where the service splits into circuits, each with its breaker.
- Main breaker
- The large breaker that shuts off the whole panel. Its number is the service size.
- Service
- The wires, meter and main breaker that bring power from the utility into the house.
- Subpanel
- A second, smaller panel fed from the main one, adding breaker spaces in a garage or an addition.
- Ground
- A path that carries fault current safely to earth, so it trips the breaker instead of shocking someone.
- Neutral
- The return wire of a circuit. A loose neutral can make lights flicker or dim in odd ways.
- Dedicated circuit
- A circuit that feeds one appliance only, such as a range, a dryer or an EV charger.
- Meter
- The utility’s device that measures what you use, mounted in the meter base, often beside or above the panel.
- Conduit
- Metal or plastic pipe that wires run through to protect them.