Electrical Repairs

Going to do Knob and Tube rewiring in your house? Hire a licensed pro and do it together. Don’t DIY!

Sometimes after years of use, electrical plugs can wear down. They may not stay securely in a socket, or loose wires in the plug may cause your device to turn on and off erratically. Instead of...

Wiring your own electricity is a challenging, yet do-able, project that can save you thousands of dollars. An older home may have a combination of wiring, some of which may have been improperly...

Type NM electrical cable is the most common type of electrical cable used in residential construction. It comes in a number of gauges and conductor counts, with 12-2, 14-2 and 14-3 being the most...

A double pole single throw (DPST) switch controls the connections to two wires at once, where each wire only has one possible connection. In other words, it's like two simple switches controlled...

GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupt) switches monitor the electrical flow across a circuit and disengage the circuit if there is a drop. This drop in electrical flow is often referred to as a...

There are a number of things to check if a Coleman Powermate Generator isn't working. Check the compression of the fuel lines running through the carburetor. The line itself is hidden, but a small...

Baseboard heaters are electrical devices used to heat individual areas in a room. These long heaters are placed under exterior windows along the floor and range in size from two feet to four feet...

Your electrical has to be installed in concrete walls before they are poured. Otherwise you will be bolting boxes and conduit to the surface and then explaining to the architect why the wall...

A lot of these outlets will burn up when they get old and it is very nice to know how to replace one of these without calling an eletrician out and charge you an arm and a leg to do such a easy...

Circuit breakers are a integral part of the electrical system within out homes. The main function of a breaker is to turn on or off the power to a particular outlet, set of outlets or device....

Soldering is really an easy process. Its just one that needs to be learned before attempted, so that you don't risk hurting the joint your soldering, or causing unnecessary frustration. So learn away!

A double pole double throw (DPDT) switch is a three-selection electrical device in which there is one "off" and two "on" positions. An application for this switch is for reversing a direct current...

Meter bases, or meter sockets, hold the electric meter. The electric meter is what the power utility company uses to determine your monthly bill. The meter base is a standard configuration that is...

A circuit breaker's function is to ensure that power is turned off when a line gets damaged or becomes overloaded. Removing a mulfunctioning breaker from a panel is simple enough, but the dangers...

Most homes require two types of breakers: 110 volt and 220 volt. It is the larger of the two, the 200-volt breaker, that should be used for your electric dryer. This type of breaker is typically...

Ceiling fans may be mounted to an existing ceiling box if the box is properly secured and can support a fan. Unfortunately, plastic electrical boxes, the type most commonly used in household...

Ceiling fans are great for circulating the air in the home. The most abused part of the ceiling fan is the pull chain, which is connected to the motor switch. Pull chains get broken off and motor...

Wiring a ceiling fixture is one of the easier electrical jobs a homeowner can perform. However, because the work being performed is overhead, there are steps you need to take to ensure the job is...

Understanding the single-pole breaker provides the foundation for all circuit breaker construction. The circuit breaker is designed under a spring actuated load. The circuit breaker connects...

Adding an outlet from an electrical switch can be very simple or nearly impossible, depending on how the switch was configured in the original wiring of the house. If today's wiring allows it,...

Running electrical wires through an existing piece of conduit can help save time when you're running new wires. If the conduit is in place and has room for more wires, it is a simple process. You...

When you join two wires together, this is called a splice. The way electrical wire is spliced is very important. If done wrong, you can short circuit a piece of gear or even cause a fire or...

Whether you are looking to add a little ambience to a room or just save some money on your electric bill, a dimmer switch may be what you need. A dimmer switch replaces the standard on/off light...

Centrifugal pumps are some of the most common pumps on the market. This type of pump is highly efficient at transferring fluid over a wide range of pressures and flows. The only difference between...

Wire splicing is an essential part of installing lights, switches and receptacles in your home. "Splicing" electrical wire means joining the bare ends of two or more separate pieces of wire by...

Maybe you've been using a gas range and want to convert to an electric one, or possibly you've moved into a new home that doesn't have a compatible outlet for your range. Regardless of the reason,...

Electrical conduit safely routes wiring from a power source to an outlet or device. Not only does it provide safety during a construction or remodeling project, but it is also a requirement for...

Electrical current is measured in units of amperes, or amps for short. Your breaker panel manufacturer determines the maximum ampere rating for your panel, but that may or may not be the same as...

Romex is a trade name for non-metallic sheathed cable or type NMC. This cable is covered by an outer plastic insulation that protects two or three current carrying wires. The individual wires are...

Circuit breakers are the main safety defense between electricity and your family. They're designedto halt the flow of electricity should there be a problem with the electrical line, outlet or a...

Having the power go out on you from a tripped breaker is not fun at all, especially if you are in the middle of your favorite movie. Many times homeowners may think it's a more serious problem;...

Connecting a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt) breaker is necessary in damp or outdoor conditions pursuant to the national electrical code. GFCI breakers monitor electrical circuits for...

There are three types of circuit breakers that offer protection from overloads and short circuits. Standard circuit breakers will trip interrupting the power supply if the circuit is overloaded or...

GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. GFCI-protected outlets have been required in American homes since the 1970s. A GFCI-protected outlet compares the electrical current coming from...

If you pick up the telephone and get static, an intermittent connection or no dial tone, don't throw away your handset until you check your phone jack. Telephone jacks can stop functioning for a...

Choosing the right type of electrical connector for your application can be baffling. A simple way to weed through all the choices is to decide what considerations are involved after a wire has...

There are several different types of circuit breakers. Each circuit breaker box houses several parts necessary to the proper function of the circuit breaker. The basic function of any circuit...

Measuring the voltage of a dryer outlet is a simple way to verify the functionality of the electrical wiring and circuit breakers supplying this circuit. Often when a dryer does not completely...

Installing a fluorescent light box in the ceiling of a room is relatively easy. Replacing an existing light fixture with a fluorescent light box is a snap. Everything is in place, and it's a...

If you want to add an outlet to a room, you need to know how the electric runs in the walls. Punching holes in your drywall until you locate the conduit will work, but it will leave you with a...

A house light is wired by connecting the electric wires from the light to the corresponding electric wires at the junction box where the light will be mounted. Power to the location should be...

When it comes to trouble shooting an electrical circuit one of the most simple tests is the continuity test. The name of the test implies what the test does, it tests for a continuous circuit,...

A fluorescent lamp is a glass tube coated with phosphor powder, and filled with an inert gas and a small amount of mercury. There are electrodes on each end which, when turned on, cause electrons...

With the numerous appliances and electronic devices in our modern world, it is quite common for older houses to run a bit short on outlets. Or maybe you're just thinking of how handy it would be...

If your ceiling fan fails to operate, the problem can most times be traced back to a bad fan switch. The replacement of a four-wire ceiling fan switch is a very simple process, which any weekend...

Having a light switch just where you want it can make any room more accessible and appealing, especially for guests who won't be able to find an inconveniently-placed switch. Not to mention the...

A push-button light switch controls the operation of a light fixture the way a traditional single-pole switch done, except instead of toggling the switch up and down, the user simply pushes a...

A double gang light switch is designed to fit in a single-gang switch box, yet it offers the capability of controlling two separate circuits. The switches are situated one on top of the other, and...

The National Electric Code requires a GFCI outlet to be installed in any wet location around the home, and any outlet within 6 inches of a sink must also be protected. Wiring a GFCI outlet is a...