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Problem:
I have lost power in my bathroom, garage, porch, etc...
Possible Solution:
This is a common situation with home owners. Before you call us out, look in your bathrooms, garage, and outdoors and see if you find a receptacle like the one in the picture. This is a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, or GFCI for short. The purpose of this device is to protect persons from electrocution in the case that they come in contact with the electrical. When the device detects a short in a circuit, allowing leakage of the current to ground through any path, including persons, it trips and opens the circuit. There is a test button and a reset button on the device similar to the ones shown in the picture. Try resetting the device and see if this corrects the problem. If it does not, or if it continues to trip, then you may have a more serious problem. You should call us right away to come take care of the problem. Do not try to correct the problem or replace the device yourself. This could result in serious injury as the device will still have power, even if it is tripped.
Problem:
Some of the lights in my home are very bright and others are dim. When I run certain appliances the problem worsens.
Possible Solution:
This symptom often indicates a problem with the neutral conductor coming from overhead services to feed power to your house from the utility company's pole. Sometimes the termination of the wires goes bad, and other times the wire can become damage as it goes through the trees in your yard. You should have the utility company come check the wires first. If they do not find a problem, then it could be in the wiring within the home and you should have us come out and assess the problem. Never try to inspect the wiring yourself. Always have a professional come help you when dealing with electricity.
