If you are a homeowner you have probably come across electric problems around the house; some needing professional help, others needing only a little of your own attention and elbow grease. If you are a new homeowner you should be ready to meet small electrical problems head on because they will occur. While there are some electric problems that demand a service call to a professional, most are easy fixes. Some problems require only one flip of a switch.
Before call the local electrician when a lamp refuses to turn on, there are a few things you should check on your own. Many electrical problems occur due to a break in the fuse. To locate and correct a “broken” fuse you first need to locate the fuse box. Look around the house for a small metal door. In most houses and apartment buildings this door is located in the basement or in the cellar. Once you have found the door, open it and you will see a series of switches that flip horizontally. These are called the circuit breakers. These circuit breakers are the safety values for the electrical power that runs through your house. If too many appliances are being used at the same time or if you are using a defective, short-circuiting appliance the fuse will blow. This action kills the power automatically in order to prevent electrical damage. If this has occurred you will need to correct the short.
In a typical fuse box there are two possible set-ups. One design has the above mentioned circuit breakers and the other has sets of cylinder shaped fuses. Depending on the design of your house’s electrical system you will have to perform one of two specific tasks when the power goes out.
If the power goes out due to a short and you have a box with circuit breakers you will simply have to flip a switch. Using a flashlight as a guide, find you way to the fuse box and take a peak inside. Examine the column of circuit breakers and see if any are flipped the reverse direction. If this is the case, simply flip the breaker back so that it is in uniform with the other breakers. This should fix the problem. It is a good idea to label the switches that correspond to the different locations of your home; this will save you time and aggravation the next time a break occurs.
If your box is full of little fuses you will have to replace the fuse bulb. Make sure you have the correct sized fuse for the replacement. Unplug the fuse that has blown. You will be able to tell which has blown by the brown tinted color of the bulb. The next step is to screw in the new fuse. If the new fuse blows with the use of the appliance you should call an electrician.
In some cases none of the fuses will look like they have burned out but the appliance still will not work. In this case the main power fuse has probably blown. If you are feeling ambitious you can locate the main fuse; it is usually located in the basement of the building. While individual fuses are easy enough to replace it is recommended that you seek professional help for a main fuse replacement.
