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Flickering Lights? Breakers Tripping? How to Know If You Have Electrical Problems

Do you own or manage a property in New York City that you suspect has electrical issues? You may have wondered how to know if you have electrical problems or if these occurrences are normal. Here are five signs something is not working properly with your electrical system, from minor inconveniences to safety hazards that could put your building at risk of fire.

Outdated, Recalled, or Malfunctioning Electrical Panel

Inconvenient and potentially dangerous

Many apartment buildings in New York City still have old electrical panels from generations ago or, worse, fuse boxes from the days before circuit breakers. Old electrical panels are at best a nuisance and at worst a potential fire risk for your property.

The job of an electrical panel is to control the flow of electricity from your main electrical supply to the various circuits in the building. When something plugged into a circuit places too much demand on the circuit’s amperage (strength of electrical current), the breaker trips and cuts power to that circuit. Likewise, when there is a problem with the wiring on the circuit, the breaker should trip to prevent fire. These are safety features built into the electrical system.

However, at Bolt Electric, we often see problems with these electrical panels, such as:

• The panel is on a list of recalled panels that must be replaced.
• We can no longer obtain parts to repair a panel because it’s so old.
• There is a problem with the wiring, and the power may go out, but the circuit breaker fails to trip.
• The breakers are tripping all the time (see below).

The solution is to replace the panel with a modern version that’s safer and more efficient for today’s heavier electrical needs.

Circuit Breakers Tripped Frequently

Overloaded circuits or hazardous wiring

One of the first things we usually do when updating the electrical system on a pre-war building in New York City is to assess the demand placed on the power supply versus what the current system can provide. Typically, the existing system isn’t up to the job because it was installed before today’s modern conveniences, like heavy-duty washers and dryers, dishwashers, huge refrigerators, portable heaters, window air conditioning, entertainment electronics, and all the small appliances we use in our kitchens.

This results in circuits being overloaded, which causes your breakers to trip all the time. You’ll know this if tenants complain about the power going out in their units or having to unplug one appliance to use another. Maybe they can’t run a large appliance at the same time they use other electric items. Updating the main electrical panel and increasing the current strength on certain circuits will help solve this problem.

Sometimes there are wiring issues that cause frequent breaker tripping. Loose wires, poor connections (see below), and loss of insulation can result in fire hazards like overheated circuits and arcing, where electrical current passes between gaps in wiring. In this instance, we need to replace or repair the wiring to make it safe and to prevent future breaker problems.

Not Enough Outlets

Old-fashioned receptacles

When we update electrical panels and wiring, it’s the ideal opportunity to add receptacles to the property. Along with old-fashioned electrical systems comes outdated outlets. Usually there aren’t enough for the tenant’s electrical needs, and they may only be two-prong outlets, not the grounded three-prong outlets that are safer.

If your tenants are resorting to a lot of power strips or using “cheater plugs” that convert two-prong to three-prong receptacles, it’s time for an update. We can add more outlets, giving major appliances their own circuits. And we make sure GFI (ground fault interrupter) outlets are installed in kitchens and bathrooms, where water near electricity can present a risk of shock.

Flickering Lights

Loose wires or connections

Many of our clients complain about flickering lights. Fortunately, this is usually a nuisance issue, although we always check to make sure there are no safety hazards. While occasionally wiring needs to be replaced, usually it’s a case of loose connections causing the problem.

Over time, motion and repetitive wear can jar wires out of position. Reattaching the wire more securely to the electrical receptacle, light switch, or ceiling fixture usually fixes the problem. If you’re still experiencing flickering lights after those repairs, it could mean the device itself is faulty. Sometimes overhead lights and table lamps need to be replaced or rewired.

Dimmer Switches Don’t Work Properly

Faulty installation

Another common reason for service calls is building owners or managers complaining their dimmer switches aren’t working correctly. Typical dimmer switch problems we see include:

• Dimming function not working at all
• Full range of dimmer isn’t available
• Abrupt changes in brightness (lights pop on, rather than slowly rising)
• Buzzing coming from the dimmer or light fixture
• Dimmer controls don’t work from all switches in the room

Usually this stems from improper installation. While adding dimmer switches may seem like an easy DIY job, these days there are so many subtleties that must be addressed that it’s often a task for professional electricians. You need to match the switch to your unique electrical system and make sure the light bulbs you select are dimmable. You also need to select a dimmer switch to pair with the number of controls you want for the room, whether it’s a single switch or a set of three switches in multiple locations.

Are you or your occupants observing any of these electrical problems or something else that’s troubling you, like electrical shocks, smoking outlets, or blown fuses in appliances? Don’t wait until you lose tenants or your fire alarm goes off to get the problem fixed! Call Bolt Electric today at 212-434-0098 or set up a service call online.