Frequently Asked Question's

Read some answers to commonly asked questions below.

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General

• How to Pick an Electrician
• Refrigerator Power
• Light Dimmers
• Ground-Fault Interrupters
• Smoke Detectors
• Garbage Disposal Power
• How to Reset a Circuit Breaker
• Fuses
• Whole House Surge Protector
• Energy Savings

Lighting Problems

• Lights are Dimming
• Humming Lights
• Bulbs Burning Out Too Quickly
• Flickering Fluorescent Lights
• Lights Blinking On and Off
• Lights Not Turning Off
• Lights Not Turning On

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How to Pick an Electrician

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Electrician:

Do They Protect The Customer?
Our technicians go through a stringent background check and drug test. When we complete a job, we leave it clean and free of hazards with a 100% guarantee.

Do They Have Guaranteed Pricing?
With flat rate pricing, you are guaranteed an exact price for the job, no matter how long it takes an electrician to complete the work.

Do They Have Fully Stocked Trucks?
Having a truck fully stocked with all the tools and basic materials needed to do the job enables an electrician to do your job more efficiently. This will usually save you both time and money.

Do They Have A Good Reputation?
The best way to check this is to ask for references. A contractor with a good reputation will be glad to provide references and possibly even have customer testimonials for you to review.

Do They Have Liability Insurance?
To adequately protect your property, all contractors should carry a minimum of one million dollars in liability insurance.

Get the Best Electrician for a Great Price

Hiring the right electrician can make a big difference in the price and quality of your job. Before you hire any electrician, we suggest that you ask them the eight questions listed above.

At Sherwin Electrical Services, we'll do our best to help you make an informed decision about any electrical work you may need. Please feel free to call us any time.

To schedule service call us today - 804-222-2213

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Refrigerator Power

If the power goes out to your refrigerator or freezer, you need to fix it fast! Here are two tips to help you quickly restore power:

If your refrigerator is plugged into a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) receptacle, you can re-set the GFI and see if you now have power. If this works, that's great! Now that it's working again, you should make arrangements to replace the GFI with a regular receptacle as soon as possible. Refrigerators should never be plugged into a GFI receptacle because GFI's are very sensitive, and you don't want to be on vacation and lose power to your refrigerator just because the GFI accidentally shut off. So if your refrigerator is plugged into a GFI receptacle, you should replace the GFI with a regular receptacle.

If you can't restore power to the receptacle that your refrigerator is plugged into, you should call an electrician who is good at troubleshooting to locate and fix the problem. But while you're waiting for the electrician to arrive, you can plug the refrigerator into a heavy-duty extension cord and plug it in to a receptacle that has power.

This will keep your food cold and safe until your electrician arrives.

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Light Dimmers

You might notice that sometimes a dimmer seems warm when you touch it. The good news is, THIS IS NORMAL. Dimmers naturally get warm when they are in use, especially if there is more than one dimmer in the same location.

However, if a dimmer is REALLY warm or hot to the touch, this indicates a safety problem, and you should call an electrician who is knowledgeable about lighting issues.

Dimmer Warning - Two things to be careful about with dimmers:

• Never connect a regular dimmer to low-voltage lights, paddle fans, or any kind of motor. These devices require special dimmers.
• Never exceed the recommended wattage of the dimmer. Regular dimmers are rated for a maximum of 600 Watts. This is equal to ten 60-Watt light bulbs, or six 100-Watt bulbs.

NOTE: You can also buy higher-wattage dimmers for connecting more than 600 Watts to one dimmer.

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Ground-Fault Interrupters

According to the National Electrical Code, in all kitchens, bathrooms, garages, or any area in which water may be present, instead of regular receptacles, GFI (ground fault interrupter) receptacles should be used. These are for your safety.

The idea of a GFI receptacle is that if there is the slightest electrical problem with anything plugged into it, the ground-fault interrupter will immediately shut off the power. This is a great safety feature, and once you unplug the electrical device that caused the problem, you can press the "Reset" button on the GFI to restore power.

When you lose power to a receptacle in a kitchen, bathroom, garage, and outdoor area, check to see if it's a ground-fault interrupter receptacle. If it is, press the "TEST" button, then press the "RESET" button.

Hint - Sometimes, you may have a receptacle that is located in a kitchen, bathroom, garage, or outdoor area, which has no power, which is not a ground-fault interrupter. However, even though it looks like a regular receptacle, it can still be "protected" by another GFI that has tripped off somewhere else. The only way to check for this is to go into your kitchen, bathroom, garage, and outdoor areas to make sure all the GFI's are working properly.

More Technical Stuff About Ground-Fault Interrupters
A GFI receptacle (also called a GFCI or ground-fault circuit interrupter receptacle) is an electronic device that can measure small differences in power as little as 3-milliamps (which is a very small amount). When it detects more power coming in from the "hot" side than going out from the neutral side, it will shut off. This is a good thing because that extra electricity has to go somewhere, and that might be to you or your family.

All ground-fault interrupter receptacles should be tested monthly. Press the "TEST" button. If pressing the "TEST" button does not make the button labeled "RESET" pop out, then call an electrician. If the "RESET" button does pop, the outlet is OK. Press the "RESET" button back in to reset the outlet.

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Smoke Detectors

Smoke Detectors are great safety devices, but once in a while a smoke detector will start "chirping" or worse, give out a non-stop alarm for no reason. Here's a tip on what to do if this happens to you.

If it's a battery-powered smoke detector, take out the battery.

If it's a 120-volt powered smoke detector, turn off your circuit breakers one by one until the noise stops. Then turn on all the circuit breakers again except the one controlling the smoke detector.

You will then need to replace the 120-volt smoke detector or, if it is a battery powered smoke detector, replace the battery.

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Garbage Disposal Power

If your garbage disposal stops working you should:

• Clear out anything inside the garbage disposal, which might be jamming up the motor and stopping it from working.
• Briefly flip on the switch to the garbage disposal. Do you hear a humming noise? If you do, then there is power going to the disposal and the problem is that the disposal is broken or there is something stuck in it.
• If you turn on the switch to the garbage disposal and you do not hear any humming noise, locate the small button that is somewhere on the disposal and press it to "re-set" the disposal. Then try turning on the disposal again.
• Finally, try re-setting all the circuit breakers in your electrical panel to see if you can get power back. To learn how to do this, go to How to Reset Circuit Breakers.

If none of this works, it's time to call Sherwin Electrical Services.

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How to Reset a Circuit Breaker

The first thing to understand is that a circuit breaker can be tripped off even when it still looks like it's set to the "ON" position. This is because when a circuit breaker shuts off it can sometimes trip off internally, without the On/Off handle actually flipping to the "OFF" position. So this is what you do when you have a loss of power that you suspect may be caused by a tripped circuit breaker.

• Shut down any computer equipment that may be effected by a loss of power.
• Go to your circuit breaker panel and firmly flip the first breaker OFF and then back ON again.
• Do the same thing with each circuit breaker until you have flipped all of the circuit breakers OFF and then back ON again.
• Now go check to see if whatever didn't have power, is now back on.

If your power has been restored ... You're done! If your power is still out, it's time to call Sherwin Electrical Services, LLC.

Note: About 25% of all electrical power problems can be solved using the above technique. Good Luck!

More Technical Stuff About Circuit Breakers
Inside most circuit breakers there are two types of protection: one is thermal, the other is magnetic. The thermal strip measures heat buildup caused by overloading. When it reaches a certain temperature, it will shut off the breaker. The magnetic coil measures sudden increases in current (such as a short). At a predetermined limit it will shut the breaker off. Older breakers sometimes only have one of these features. To have maximum protection, a breaker with both types of protection is recommended.

There are usually three spots on the outside of a breaker that show wear. The on/off switch is located at the top, and if it is broken off or loose, we recommend the breaker be replaced. Next is the load lug. If it is burnt or abnormally loose, we recommend the breaker be replaced. Last, and most common, is the stab. The breaker stab is what makes contact with the busing in the panel (the buss carries the power throughout the panel). The stab connects to the buss through friction and spring tension. The spring tension, over time, may break down and if so arcing or burning may result. If the stab has become burnt, discolored, or is abnormally loose we recommend the breaker be replaced. Also if the stab is burnt or discolored it is also a good idea to have the buss in the panel checked.

NOTE: It is possible for a breaker to appear "OK" based upon its outward appearance and by the fact that it continues to carry continuity, but still be questionable, bad, or intermittent etc. The opposite may be true as well; a breaker with a poor outward appearance may be perfectly safe and structurally sound. Therefore a decision to replace or not to replace a breaker should not be based solely on appearance, continuity, age etc. All factors should be considered in determining the proper course of action to take.

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Fuses

When a fuse detects too much power running through a wire, a tiny piece of metal inside the fuse will break, thereby stopping the power from continuing to run through the wire.

When the top of the fuse is made of glass, many people think that they can look at the metal piece inside and see if it is broken. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS TRUE.

The best way to handle a suspected blown fuse is to simply replace it. If the power comes back on, great! If it doesn't, then you should call an electrician who is good at troubleshooting.

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Telephone Power

When power goes out in your home, remember, YOUR CORDLESS PHONE WILL NOT WORK IF THE PHONE'S BASE UNIT HAS NO POWER. If this happens you can still use any telephone that can plug directly into the wall.

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Whole House Surge Protectors

The need for surge protection has increased dramatically. This is because many electronic devices can be damaged by surges. Electronic devices sensitive to power surges occur in: security systems, computers, printers, FAX machines, telephones, small appliances, microwave ovens, refrigerators, stereos, garage door openers, and low voltage lighting systems.

Anytime there is a power outage, there is the possibility of a power surge upon turning the power back on. Unfortunately, the cost of replacing electronic components can be monumental.

Finally there is a solution to the problem: "whole house" surge protection. Whole house surge protection is now available to the general public at a reasonable cost. Call our In-House Technician and he'll be glad to discuss whether installing a whole house surge protector would be a good option for you.

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Energy Savings

Wasted energy translates into carbon dioxide production, air pollution, acid rain, and lots of money down the drain. The average American household, which spends more than $100 per year on energy bills, can often shave 50% off these bills by choosing appliances wisely.

For example, simply replacing a 20-year-old refrigerator with a new energy-efficient model will save you on your electric bills and reduce your home's carbon dioxide contribution by about a ton per year (which reduces global warming).

While energy efficient appliances may be slightly more expensive, the extra up-front cost will be paid back through reduced energy bills long before the product wears out.

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic development and environmental protection. Every year they publish The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, an invaluable guide listing the most efficient energy use. Dimmers, ceiling fans and updated appliances are ways that you can save energy.

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Lights Are Dimming

Lights will sometimes dim for a few seconds and then come back to complete brightness again. This can happen when a light is connected to the same wires that provide power to something that takes a lot of power, like a refrigerator, a microwave oven, or an air conditioner.

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Humming Lights

Humming lights can be caused by:

• A bad ballast or bad transformer. Replace the ballast or transformer.
• A conflict between the low voltage dimmer and the low voltage light fixture it controls. This is a tough one, but sometimes experimenting with several dimmers will eventually lead you to one that does not make the low voltage light transformer hum.

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Bulbs Burning Out Too Quickly

Here are the three reasons this can happen:

• The wattage of the bulb is too high. This is very common. Most light fixtures with glass covers have a maximum rating of 60 watts per bulb. It is very common for people to put in 75-watt or even 100-watt bulbs into these fixtures. The result is bulbs burning out much too quickly. Use the correct wattage bulbs in all your light fixtures.
• Poor-quality light bulbs. Use only major-brand light bulbs.
• Mysterious light fixture problem. It's mysterious because the light fixture looks perfectly fine, and even electricians can't find anything wrong with it. Nevertheless, after checking #1 and #2 above, if the bulbs keep burning out ... Replace the light fixture.

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Flickering Fluorescent Lights

There are three reasons fluorescent lights sometimes flicker:

• For a few moments when they first turn on, the bulbs will flicker until they warm up. You will notice this more on colder days. Just wait a few moments for the bulbs to warm up.
• The fluorescent bulbs are old. Replace them.
• The fluorescent ballast is old. Replace it.

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Lights Blinking On and Off

There are two main reasons for lights blinking on and off:

• A photo cell-is out of adjustment. Adjust photocell.
• Some light fixtures that are recessed into the ceiling have a built-in thermal protector that automatically shuts off the light when the light fixture gets too hot. Use a lower wattage bulb for a lower temperature.

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Lights Not Turning Off

Here are reasons lights don't turn off:

• The switch to the light fixture is broken. Replace the switch.
• The time clock for the light is broken or out of adjustment. Set the time clock to the right time. If it won't stay adjusted, replace it.
• If the light fixture is activated by a photocell, the photocell is either out of adjustment or broken. Adjust or replace photocell.

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Lights Not Turning On

Lights don't turn on for six basic reasons:

• The bulb is bad. This is more common than one might think. Try replacing a questionable light bulb with a new one. If that doesn't work, before giving up, try using a bulb from another light fixture that you KNOW is working.
• The switch to the light is bad. The switch will need to be replaced.
• The light fixture is broken. Usually it is easier and less expensive to simply replace the light fixture. However, many light fixtures can be repaired if this is what the owner desires.
• No power. Please go to the No Power section.
• Time clock for the light is broken or not set for the correct time. Re-set the time on the clock or replace the broken time clock.
• If the light fixture is activated by a photocell, the photocell is either out of adjustment or broken. Adjust or replace photocell.
• Fluorescent, Mercury-Vapor, or High-Pressure-Sodium Lights. These kinds of light fixtures all use an electrical ballast to energize their special light bulbs. If the light is humming loudly, has an "electrical odor" or if the light just doesn't turn on, the ballast may need to be replaced.

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