Palm Island Electric FAQs

If you have a tripped breaker, only to have the breaker trip again, it is likely that you have a more serious problem that needs to be addressed by a qualified electrician. Our experience has shown that typically a power-hungry appliance is causing the trip in the circuit breaker or it could also be a short circuit. Usually, it is caused by a space heater during the winter, an air conditioning unit during the summer, or even something as small as a hairdryer. However, sometimes it is simply that the rating of a frequently used circuit needs to be increased. For example, if a 15-amp circuit keeps tripping, then you may need to have it changed to a 20-amp. Changing circuit breakers should only be done by a professional electrician.

If you go to turn off your light switch and find that it is hot to the touch, this is indicative of a serious issue that could lead to an electrical fire. Possible reasons for this include the switch being overloaded, the switch failing, or faulty wiring. A warm dimmer switch is common, if it's hot it could be overloaded or faulty. In any case, you should address the problem immediately and call an electrician as soon as possible.

There are several reasons this could be occurring. However, one particular reason that can be extremely dangerous is overheating. Having to replace bulbs over and over again is not only a massive inconvenience, but it is also a fire hazard. We recommend having your light fixtures inspected by an electrician if you notice that bulbs are constantly blowing out.

In many cases, lights flicker because of an outdated electrical system. If this is the case, your electrical panel or wiring will need to be replaced. In other cases, it can be a loose wire, insufficient power supply, or another appliance on a circuit drawing too much power. Regardless, it is best to have the problem inspected by a licensed electrician.

A GFCI outlet is designed to protect you from electrical shock when moisture is present. GFCIs should be installed in wet locations including unfinished basements, and garages, within six feet of any sinks, kitchens, bathrooms, hot tubs and outlets outdoors. You can identify a GFCI outlet by the two buttons on the face of the outlet. One button reads “test” and the other reads “reset.” The “test” button will cause the GFCI outlet to trip, or turn off, and the “reset” button will reset, or turn the power back on. If the outlet will not reset when the “reset” button has been pressed, then a problem may exist, and you will need the help of an electrician.

A “short” and “short circuit” describe the same problem. When a short circuit occurs, the electrical wire comes into contact with the neutral or grounded conductor wire and excessive heat is generated. If you see sparks in your electrical panel, this may indicate a short circuit. If this occurs, you should call an electrician immediately for assistance.

We advise against making your electrical repairs a do-it-yourself project.  Attempting to do them yourself could cause more serious damages than you began with, as well as costly repairs. For your safety and for your wallet, we recommend calling an expert electrician to perform any home electrical projects.

Warranties are usually 1 year and few electrical components are designed to last a lifetime.  While improperly installed items can fail faster it’s usually from mass production, quality control issues and functional obsolescence.  Those things are beyond our control.  We strive to install only quality components, but of course we can’t warranty a customer-provided ceiling fan or light fixture unless it’s an installation error.  We’ve also noticed many material manufacturers are not honoring warranties on coastal properties.