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What to do if...
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...the lights won't work
It may sound obvious, but make sure the light switch is in the ON position, especially if the
light is controlled by more than one switch or plugged into a receptacle that's controlled by a light switch.
A burned-out bulb is another obvious, but often overlooked culprit. If the switch is on, and the bulb is good,
you may have a tripped circuit breaker. Go to your electical panel and look for a breaker handle that's in
the "tripped" or "off" position. Always make sure no one is working on the electrical system, then firmly
move the tripped handle to the off position and then back to the ON position.
...lights flicker
Start-up of certain appliances, such as blow dryers, air conditioners, shop tools and laser printers,
may cause a slight flicker or blinking of the lights. A brief, occasional flicker is normal; however,
if permanent dimming occurs or usage of a particular appliance repeatedly causes a circuit breaker to trip,
that may be a warning signal that your electrical system is overloaded or something else is wrong.
...receptacles aren't working
Check to see if a wall switch controls power to the receptacle, and keep in mind that
each socket of the receptacle may be controlled by a different wall switch. Next, go to the electrical panel
and check for a tripped circuit breaker. If the problem receptacle is located in the kitchen, laundry room,
bathroom, garage or outside, it may be due to a tripped Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) receptacle.
A GFCI receptacle has both a red and black button on it, and a common GFCI serves multiple outlets in the above
mentioned areas. If power is missing in any of these areas, resetting the GFCI should restore power. Also check
the electrical panel for a GFCI circuit breaker. If it's tripped, reset it by moving the handle to the "off"
position and then back to the ON position.
...air conditioning quits working
Check your electrical panel for a tripped circuit breaker. You may also visually check the
service disconnect adjacent to your air conditioning to verify someone has not turned this switch off.
General Maintenance
- Test GFCI receptacles and GFCI circuit breakers once a month
- Visually inspect surge arresters periodically and after major storms
- Even if your smoke detector is hard-wired to your electrical panel, you should push the test button
weekly and replace the 9-volt batteries twice a year, generally when the time changes. Consult your smoke detector
homeowner's manual for more information. Furthermore, as your smoke detector has a number of components and sensors
housed inside, it should be shaken or in some cases blown out with a low speed hair dryer to remove dust or other
contaminants that may interfere with its proper operation.
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