As an electrician in Vancouver, BC, you sometimes come
across householders who have attempted to repair a fault themselves. DIY has
its place but when dealing with electricity it’s usually wisest to defer to a
specialist. It’s easy to take it for granted but every year hundreds of people
are killed in electrical accidents.
Basic Electrical Faults
Of course there are simple faults like power surges which
don’t require an electrician. If you experience a sudden loss of power to your
household appliances, to sockets or to light fixtures, the first thing you
should check is the circuit breaker. When a short-circuit or overload occurs, a
circuit breaker is designed to interrupt the flow of current. This can easily
be remedied by locating the circuit breaker panel (what was formerly the fuse
box) and resetting the safety switch. Breakers are safety devices and are
designed to protect circuits from serious damage.
Reoccurring Power Surges
If you find that the circuit breaker is tripping
regularly, there is probably an issue with an appliance or fixture. It may be
that several high-wattage appliances running on the same circuit are causing an
overload. If this is the case you may have to switch some appliances to a
different circuit or have a new circuit installed. You should also check light
bulbs to ensure they match the wattage capacity of their fixtures.
If an electrical outlet doesn’t work but no breaker has been
tripped, check the other outlets on the circuit. If the problem is isolated to
one socket, it’s likely that the outlet had burnt out. Where blackening appears
on a socket, avoid using that outlet as it may constitute a fire hazard.
Every licensed electrician in Vancouver will have extensive training, including first-aid techniques.
They are the only people qualified to carry out complex repairs on your
circuits and appliances. It’s not simply a question of competence. It’s a
question of personal safety.
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