Electrical Repair FAQs

Find answers to common electrical questions! When dealing with an electrical problem, always trust a qualified electrician to avoid injury. Need an electrical repair in Alamo or Walnut Creek, CA? Contact the experts at East Bay Electric, Inc. at (925) 395-4069 to schedule your free estimate today.

What should I do if an outlet in my house doesn’t work?

While many people tend to overlook electrical outlets that seemingly don’t work, it’s always wise to have an experienced electrician examine a non-working outlet. There are a few things you can do first, however, to be sure that an outlet is truly not working. Plug a small lamp into a working outlet and turn it on. Then, without turning the lamp off, unplug it. Plug it into the non-working outlet and flip all the wall switches in the room. If any of the switches turn the lamp on, you’ve found your solution. If you try all the switches and the lamp still doesn’t turn on, check the electrical panel for tripped circuits and reset if necessary. If you’ve tried all the above steps and the outlet still isn’t working, contact an Alamo, CA residential electrician who can properly diagnose the problem.

How can I make my home’s lighting more energy efficient?

At the moment, LED is the most efficient residential lighting option. LED offers a more pleasant alternative to the also energy-efficient but often harsh lighting produced by fluorescent bulbs. You can increase your home’s energy efficiency by switching to LED bulbs and installing dimmer switches throughout your house.

What is the purpose of a GFCI outlet?

A GFCI outlet, or ground fault circuit interrupter, protects against electrical shock in the event of water or other moisture. Prevalent throughout homes built in the 1980s and later, GFCI outlets are identifiable by two buttons—a “reset” button and a “test” button—located on the face on an outlet. GFCI outlets are designed to automatically detect changes in electrical current, thereby protecting users from electrical shock. If a GFCI outlet in your home appears to not be working, simply press the “reset” button. If this doesn’t fix the issue, contact an Alamo, CA licensed electrician to accurately identify the problem.

My dimmer switch is warm to the touch—should I worry?

Unless the dimmer switch is extremely hot or you hear a faint buzzing sound or smell burning plastic, there’s no need to worry about dimmer switches that feel warm to the touch. If you do notice unusual heat or odors, buzzing sounds, or flickering lights, contact us to have one of our qualified electricians address the issue.

I can’t turn a tripped circuit breaker back on. What should I do?

Typically, if you notice a tripped circuit breaker in your electrical panel, you simply need to reset it. To do so, flip the switch to the “off” position completely. You should hear a click, letting you know the switch is fully set to “off.” Next, move the switch back to the “on” position. If the circuit breaker doesn’t trip again, it’s been reset successfully. If, however, you’re unable to successfully reset the circuit breaker, and keeps tripping when set to “on,” the circuit may be overloaded or shorted. If this occurs, contact an Alamo, CA electrician at East Bay Electric, Inc.