Repair Electrical Power Issues in San Jose, CA
Professional Electricians Help Keep Your Home Safe
Power supply issues at home are frustrating and potentially dangerous. The expert electricians at Dalcon Electric make it their goal to ensure you’re safe in your home. Dalcon Electric has served San Jose along with Peninsula, South Bay, and East Bay for over three decades with exceptional electrical service and repair. Power supply problems are no match for us.
Outlets Controlled by Switches
Sometimes an outlet on the wall is controlled by a light switch, allowing you to turn on and off an appliance at the switch instead of at the appliance itself. An outlet usually has spaces for two plugs, but when one is always “live” and a switch controls the other, it is called a “half-hot” receptacle.
GFI Receptacles
A Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) outlet is a single-location, shock-proof outlet. A GFI is a crucial safety feature, typically installed in damp areas like kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoors. It detects electric current leakage (ground faults) in circuitry and immediately turns off the outlet’s connection to protect you from electrocution.
Troubleshooting You Can Perform Safely
Here are suggestions you can follow to safely figure out why an electrical outlet stopped working. Please remember that if these do not work, you must call a professional electrician to solve the power supply problem.
- Step 1: Check Other Outlets – Check to see if there are any other outlets not working. If you find it’s just the one, there is a problem inside the outlet.
- Step 2: Check the Circuit Breakers: All circuit breakers should be ON and lined up with one another. If a breaker has tripped, it will switch to the OFF position or somewhere in between. Flip the tripped breaker firmly OFF, then back ON. If this doesn’t work to restore power, you may have a blown line.
- Step 3: Check the GFI – Try resetting the outlet with the two small buttons located between the plugs. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, the outlet may have loose wiring.
- Step 4: Check for Short Circuits – When two electrical wires touch each other, this causes a short circuit and immediately causes a circuit breaker to turn off or a fuse to blow. We suggest unplugging anything you’ve recently plugged in and resetting the breaker or fuse. If this works to reset your power, then you know it was the electrical appliance and not your wiring that caused the issue.
When It’s Time to Bring in a Licensed Electrician
If you have followed the steps above to troubleshoot repair and nothing has worked, it could be one of these other potential issues. These are reasons to call in a licensed electrician:
- Damaged Wires – Outlets may stop working if there are loose or burned wires or damaged wire insulation. In addition, wires may come loose with time and need to be repaired for your outlet to function correctly.
- Older Homes – Older wiring may stop working correctly and there may not be an obvious problem. Our experienced professionals can find any unsafe or damaged wiring and recommend the best options for repair.
Contact Dalcon Electric
If your outlets have stopped working correctly, it can be more than just an inconvenience. It can often indicate issues in the outlet or elsewhere in your home’s wiring. Don’t dismiss the problem; instead, call the professionals at Dalcon Electric to repair your home’s electric power issues. Give us a call for expert help today.
