Electrical Fault Finding
When something keeps tripping, flickering or simply stops working, we test our way to the cause instead of guessing.
Switch off and call: the urgent signs
Some symptoms should not wait. If you notice a burning or hot plastic smell, see scorch marks on a socket or switch, hear crackling or buzzing, or a plug or socket is too hot to touch, stop using it. Switch off that circuit or the main switch at the consumer unit if you can do so safely, and call us on 01235 430442. If there is smoke or fire, get everyone out and call 999.
Common faults we're called about
An RCD that keeps tripping
The most common call by far. An RCD switches off when it detects current leaking somewhere it shouldn't. The cause might be a faulty appliance, water getting into an outdoor socket or light, a nail through a cable, or deteriorating insulation. Our guide why does my RCD keep tripping? explains the likely culprits.
A dead circuit
All the sockets in one room, or all the lights upstairs, have stopped working. Sometimes it is a tripped breaker nobody noticed. Sometimes it is a loose connection in a socket or junction box partway along the circuit, which needs finding and fixing properly.
Flickering or dimming lights
A single flickering bulb is often just the bulb, or an LED lamp that is not compatible with its dimmer. Lights flickering across several rooms, or dimming when the kettle goes on, can point to a loose connection, which can get hot, so it is worth having checked.
Things that work "sometimes"
Intermittent faults are the hardest to trace. They might only appear when it rains, when the heating comes on or at a certain time of day. Tell us everything you have noticed, however odd. It often holds the clue.
Safe checks you can do first
These are the only checks we suggest homeowners do themselves. They are safe and can save a call-out:
- Look at the consumer unit. See which switch has tripped. The labels tell you which circuit it is.
- Unplug everything on that circuit, or switch appliances off at the wall, then try resetting the switch.
- If it holds, plug things back in one at a time. If it trips again when a particular appliance goes back in, that appliance is the likely cause, so leave it unplugged.
- If it trips with nothing plugged in, or will not reset at all, leave it off and call us. The fault is in the fixed wiring.
Please don't open sockets, switches or the consumer unit, or try to bypass a device that keeps tripping. Those are jobs for an electrician.
How we find the fault
We start by listening: when it happens, what was running, what has changed recently. Then we test. Insulation resistance tests show whether cable insulation is breaking down. Continuity tests find broken or loose conductors. Splitting a circuit into sections narrows down where the problem sits. It is methodical, and it means we fix the cause rather than just reset things and leave.
If testing shows a wider problem, such as an outdated board or wiring that is failing in several places, we will explain what we found and the options, from a consumer unit upgrade to a partial rewire. For landlords, a fault is often a good prompt to book a full EICR.