Electrical — problems, causes and costs
I Like To Fix
Everything we have on electrical — what fails, why, what it costs, and which of it you can handle without calling anyone.
Homes built before about 1940
Pre-war construction — galvanized supply, cast iron drains, cloth-wrapped wiring, ungrounded circuits.
- Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel
- Two-prong outlets throughout the house
- Cloth-covered cable visible in the attic or basement
- Fuse panel, or a 60 amp service
- Fuse larger than the wire it protects
- Ceiling fan mounted to a standard light box
- Knob-and-tube still energised
- No GFCI protection anywhere in the house
- Breakers or fuses that are not labeled
Homes built roughly 1940 to 1980
Post-war and mid-century — copper supply, aging cast iron stacks, 60 to 100 amp panels, first-generation central air.
- Aluminum branch wiring
- Panel full, with tandem breakers doubled up
- Outlets that no longer grip a plug
- Three-prong outlets on two-wire cable
- 100 amp service and a growing load
- Bathroom outlet with no GFCI
- Lights dimming when the air conditioner starts
- Extension cords doing permanent work
- Old smoke alarms with no interconnection
Homes built roughly 1980 to 2000
The polybutylene and aluminum-wiring window, 150 amp panels, R-22 systems and first-cycle architectural shingle.
- Backstabbed receptacles failing
- 150 amp panel and a modern load
- Recessed cans buried in attic insulation
- No arc-fault protection on bedroom circuits
- Kitchen tripping when two appliances run
- Hardwired smoke alarms all beeping at once
- Pool, spa or hot tub with questionable bonding
- Aluminum still present at the range or dryer
- Outdoor outlet with a flat cover
Homes built since 2000
PEX on slab, 200 amp service, builder-grade equipment that reaches end of life across a whole street at once.
- AFCI breaker tripping repeatedly
- Adding an EV charger
- Smart switch needing a neutral in the box
- No whole-home surge protection
- Builder-grade devices failing across the house
- Generator connection with no interlock
- Recessed LED retrofit dimming poorly
- Spa or outbuilding added after the build
- Panel has no spare spaces on a new house
Any age of home
- Frequent outages from trees on the lines
- Humidity in an outdoor panel or meter base
- Lightning surge damage to electronics
- Storm shelter power and lighting
- Long service drop or a rural feeder
- Well pump circuit
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Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Fix earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.