Troubleshooting Tips for Residential Electrical Wiring

Residential electrical wiring is really a complicated system. It has to be installed and turned on to supply enough electricity to your home to power your lights, home appliances and other home electrical systems. Sometimes you will encounter problems with your home electrical wiring. There are several different things you can do to troubleshoot the electrical wiring system in your home. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Avoid Shocks by Staying Safe

The first thing anyone needs to know is how to troubleshoot the residential electrical wiring in a way that minimizes or removes the likelihood that the individual doing the testing gets a shock or a burn. When you test any electrical wiring, make sure you keep your tools and metal parts a safe distance away. Never touch the metal to any wire (whether you think it is a ground or not). Use tools with plastic handles and wear rubber shoes. Always treat the wiring as if it is hot (or on).

If You Know the Source, Replace It

If you have determined that it is only one element that has gone bad, or one wire or one circuit then you can test it fully. Turn it on and off. If nothing happens, then replace the lone ranger.

Reset the Breakers and GFCIs

If you have a mess of problems and issues or if you have not been able to narrow down your problem, start with the breakers. Turn them all off completely and then turn them back on. After you have done this, move to your GFCIs. Most homes have GFCI outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, basements and garages. You know you have a GFCI if there is a light and a black and red switch in between the two outlets. Reset each one of the GFCIs you find in and around your home. (Note: Exterior outlets are also GFCI protected - so don't forget these)

Wiring Connections for Blinks and Flickers

Do you find your lighting blinking and flickering all the time? Are you looking for a reason as to why this is all of a sudden occurring in your home? Usually this is indicative of an improper connection in your electrical wiring. In order to test the connections, the first place you will need to look is inside the lighting junction box. After you have removed the light fixture from the wall or the ceiling, test the connections with your meter. Move the connections from side to side to see if the meter picks up any different readings.

Check the Main Wire for Dims and Brights

Another common problem is in the intensity of the lighting. A light may go from dim to bright all within a matter of minutes and sometimes seconds. If this occurs, you should test the connection of the main wire coming into the home.