13 Common Issues Covered
Electrical Problems & Solutions
Identify common electrical issues in your home, understand their causes, and know when it's time to call a professional electrician. Our expert guides help you stay safe and informed.
Electrical Emergency?
If you smell burning, see smoke, or have sparking outlets, turn off the circuit breaker and call immediately.
(703) 997-0026 - 24/7 EmergencyEmergency Issues
Requires immediate attention - potential fire or safety hazard
Urgent Issues
Should be addressed within 24-48 hours
Urgent
Sparking Outlet
While a small blue spark when plugging in is normal, large sparks, yellow/orange sparks, or sparking accompanied by sounds or smells indicates a serious electrical problem requiring professional attention.
Common Symptoms:
- Visible sparks when inserting or removing plugs
- Loud popping or crackling sounds during plug insertion
$100 - $250Learn More
Urgent
Hot Outlet
An outlet that feels warm or hot to the touch indicates electrical resistance and overheating. While dimmer switches can feel slightly warm normally, standard outlets should always be cool to the touch.
Common Symptoms:
- Outlet cover or plate feels warm or hot to touch
- Discoloration around the outlet (yellowing or browning)
$100 - $300Learn More
Urgent
Tripping Breakers
A circuit breaker that keeps tripping is doing its job protecting you from overloads or faults. However, repeated tripping indicates an underlying problem that needs to be identified and resolved.
Common Symptoms:
- Circuit breaker trips repeatedly
- Power outage in specific areas of the home
$100 - $400Learn More
Urgent
Partial Power Loss
Partial power loss — where some outlets work and others don't, or where 240V loads aren't running at full power — usually indicates a broken neutral, a hidden breaker trip, or a single-leg service failure. A broken neutral in particular is dangerous: it lets line voltage swing far above or below 120V, damaging every electronic device in the affected part of the home within seconds.
Common Symptoms:
- Some outlets or rooms have no power while others still work
- Lights are dim or flickering in part of the house
$285 - $1,200Learn More
Urgent
Storm Power Loss
Storm-related power loss in Northern Virginia is usually one of three things: a Dominion Energy grid event (out of your control, fixed by the utility); damage to your service entrance (the wires + mast + meter base, which we coordinate with Dominion to repair); or surge damage to your panel and downstream devices (which we repair without utility involvement). The first step is to check the Dominion outage map; the second is to call us if there's visible damage at your home.
Common Symptoms:
- Power went out during or right after a thunderstorm, snowstorm, or windstorm
- Power is out at your home but you can see lights on at neighbors' houses
$285 - $4,500Learn More
Moderate Issues
Schedule a service call this week
Moderate
Flickering Lights
Occasional light flickering when large appliances start is normal. However, persistent flickering or flickering accompanied by other symptoms indicates electrical problems that should be investigated.
Common Symptoms:
- Lights dim or flicker randomly
- Lights dim when appliances turn on
$100 - $350Learn More
Moderate
Dead Outlet
A dead outlet is often caused by a tripped GFCI or breaker, which are easy to check. If resetting doesn't work, the outlet itself may have failed or there could be a wiring issue.
Common Symptoms:
- Outlet provides no power to any device
- Devices work in other outlets but not this one
$75 - $200Learn More
Moderate
Buzzing Switch
Dimmer switches can buzz slightly when used with certain LED bulbs - this is often a compatibility issue. However, buzzing from standard switches or loud buzzing indicates a problem requiring attention.
Common Symptoms:
- Audible buzzing or humming from the switch
- Sound is louder when lights are dimmed
$75 - $250Learn More
Moderate
No Power, One Room
When power goes out in just one room while the rest of the house works, the cause is almost always inside the home (not utility-side). A tripped GFCI somewhere upstream is the most common culprit; a failed back-stab connection in an outlet box is a close second. Both are typically fast diagnoses for a licensed electrician.
Common Symptoms:
- All outlets in one room are dead, but other rooms work normally
- Lights in the room don't turn on but the switches still click
$185 - $475Learn More
Routine Issues
Plan for when convenient
Routine
Need More Outlets
Older homes often have fewer outlets than modern needs require. Adding outlets improves convenience and safety by eliminating the need for extension cords and overloaded power strips.
Common Symptoms:
- Extension cords running across rooms
- Power strips daisy-chained together
$150 - $300 per outletLearn More
Routine
Two-Prong Outlets
Two-prong ungrounded outlets are common in older homes but lack the safety grounding that protects people and equipment. Several upgrade options exist depending on your home's wiring.
Common Symptoms:
- Outlets with only two slots (no ground)
- Unable to plug in three-prong devices
$100 - $250 per outletLearn More
Routine
Bulbs Burning Out
Light bulbs that burn out too quickly can indicate voltage problems, fixture issues, or simply low-quality bulbs. Identifying the pattern helps determine the cause and solution.
Common Symptoms:
- Bulbs burn out within weeks or months
- Multiple fixtures have short bulb life
$75 - $200Learn More
Can't Find Your Problem?
If you're experiencing an electrical issue not listed here, our licensed electricians can help diagnose and solve any problem.