Electrical Services: Steps to take before you avail their services
Picking up that bestseller you were looking to complete it in one go but just when the suspense was building up an electrical snag leaves you in dark. Grabbing the book in one hand and phone in another you call for help.
“Hello! Is this electrical services provider!”? You ask.
Even before the woman’s voice on the other side could confirm you start explaining your problem to her. She takes down the details and requests you to wait till the time the electrician reaches your house.
“Two hours max… !” She tells you.
“But is this something… !” You speak impatiently knowing well what her reply would be.
Tossing the book aside you wait. Needless to say, it has ruined your mood.
But let me ask you a question-did you do everything that you could? We all know that electrical problems are part of our life and it can include everything, from something as rudimentary as bulbs not working to major issues such as overheated sockets or disruption of supply from the main line.
While it is prudent to get in touch with a reliable electrical services provider, before you do that, there are certain checks you can do yourself. Apart from saving your time it will save your money as well.
Lighting problems
They are easy to diagnose. In case of an incandescent bulb-still being used in rural areas and small towns-take it out from the socket, hold it against some light source and if you find a broken filament then replacing the bulb will easily solve the problem.
Swapping with some functional light will work for a LED lamp or a tube light. Alternatively, if you find that the base (in case of LED) and the ends (in case of tube light) have turned black then you can be reasonably certain that it needs replacement. Buying another light from the market will save you from the trouble of waiting for the electrician.
If swapping works, well and good, but if it doesn’t you need to get in touch with the electrician. But before you do that a cursory examination will do no harm, which brings us to the next point.
Electrical points
Though we don’t advocate tinkering with the switchboard, however, a cautious fiddling would do no harm. To start with, bring your palm in contact with the board and confirm whether it is warm/hot, which in turn will help you decide if there is some issue with the switches and is explained in the next point.
Electrical appliances not working
One way of telling why a fan or an air-conditioner has stopped working is by touching the socket and the switch. A warm/hot feel implies loose connection and replacing it is the only way out. For moveable appliances like iron or coffee maker we suggest you to plug it into some other functional socket to ensure which of the two-the socket or the appliance-has gone kaput.
Most importantly, you should remember that before heavy-duty plug points stop working they don’t just overheat but also emit foul smell. Don’t ignore it, if this is the case, get it checked and changed even if the points are working.
Electricity in one part of home/office has malfunctioned while working in other parts
Head straight to the main board where, in all probability, you will find a tripped circuit breaker. Lifting the knob should work. However, if it doesn’t or if it almost immediately goes down it signifies a major fault. In such a scenario you don’t have any other choice but to call your electrical service provider.
Conclusion
Knowledge such as these will not only make you an informed customer, but it will also prevent the electrician from making a mountain of a molehill. Apart from refraining him from needless repairs it obviously will save you money and time.
One last advice
Never indulge in electric repairs yourself. It is better to be safe than sorry.