Greenville Electrical FAQs
A thunderstorm passed through and now several outlets are dead. Could lightning do that?
A nearby strike can push a surge through the utility, cable and phone lines, tripping GFCIs, frying electronics and damaging breakers. If anything smells scorched, keep those circuits off. Otherwise reset the GFCIs first and call if the outlets stay dead. Emergency electrical repair →
How do I know if a problem can wait until morning?
Heat at a cover plate, a burning odor, buzzing from the panel, a sparking outlet or a refrigerator with no power shouldn't wait. A single dead receptacle with the rest of the house working usually can. A quick call helps sort out which situation you're in. 24/7 electrician services →
Our lights dim every time the air conditioner kicks on. Is that normal?
A brief, slight dip as a big motor starts is common. Lights that dim hard or stay dim suggest a loose neutral, an undersized feeder or trouble at the meter, and with Upstate air conditioners running most of the summer, it's worth chasing down. Electrical troubleshooting →
Why do the outlets in our older house only have two slots?
Two-prong receptacles mean that box has no ground wire, which is typical of homes built before the mid-1960s around Augusta Road and the older streets near downtown. Running a ground or adding GFCI protection are the usual fixes, depending on the circuit. Outlet and switch repair →
We work from home and need more outlets in the office. Is that a big job?
Not usually. Extending a nearby circuit, or running a dedicated one for computers and a printer, can often be routed through the attic or crawlspace with very little drywall work, and it gets the power strips off the floor. Electrical outlet installation →
Our home inspector flagged the panel brand. Does it have to be replaced?
Some panels from the 1960s through the 1980s, such as Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and certain Zinsco models, have well-documented problems with breakers that don't trip. Insurers and lenders sometimes ask for them to go, and a new panel leaves room for added circuits. Breaker panel repair and replacement →
Why does the bathroom outlet cut out whenever the hair dryer runs?
Many bathrooms share a single 20-amp circuit, and a hair dryer plus a curling iron or space heater can push past it. A worn GFCI that trips too easily is the other common cause, and testing tells the two apart. Circuit breaker tripping repair →
We found chewed wires in the crawlspace. What happens now?
Squirrels and rodents are a steady problem in Upstate crawlspaces and attics. Bare or nicked insulation can short out or start a fire, so damaged runs get cut back to sound wire and spliced in proper junction boxes or replaced outright. Electrical wiring repair →
There's a fishy smell coming from a light switch. What is it?
That odor often comes from overheating plastic in a switch, outlet or fixture, and it's a classic warning that a connection is running too hot. Turn the circuit off and have the box opened before the device fails. Burning smell and hazard repair →
Will a regular ceiling fan hold up on a screened porch in Greenville?
Porches need a damp- or wet-rated fan, depending on how exposed they are, along with a weatherproof box and a GFCI-protected circuit. Indoor fans hung outdoors rust and lose their motors early in Upstate humidity. Ceiling fan repair and installation →
Our older house still has its original wiring. Should we rewire before renovating?
Open walls make it the easiest time. Cloth-covered wire, too few circuits for a modern kitchen and missing grounds are common in homes from the early and mid 1900s, and new wiring can go in before insulation and drywall close things up. Whole home rewiring →
Can you replace the parking lot and storefront lights at our business?
Yes. LED conversions, pole lights, wall packs, interior fixtures and lighting controls for shops, offices and restaurants from Main Street out to Woodruff Road. Commercial lighting installation →
Which Greenville neighborhoods do you serve?
Downtown, West End, North Main, Augusta Road, Overbrook, East Park, Nicholtown, Viola Street, McDaniel Avenue, Lakeview, Cherrydale and the Hampton-Pinckney area, plus Simpsonville, across 29601, 29605, 29607, 29609 and 29681.
