Power Outage

Electricians Provide Solution to Low Power or Power Outages

A power outage can happen at any time for multiple reasons. It can also completely interrupt your day and possibly damage some of your treasured appliances and devices. Before you start googling phrases like, “why is there no power to my house?” professional electricians, Nipper Electric can help you prevent, prepare, and recover from loss of power to your house. Our experienced team of electricians can help keep your power running strong with services that include:

• Regular Maintenance Inspections


• Repair Worn Power Entrances like Meter Boxes, Panels, and Weatherheads


• Electrical Troubleshooting


• Circuit Testing


• Rewiring or Repairing Old Wiring


• Panel Upgrades

Our staff knows how serious a power outage can be and we have the tools to help you avoid or rebound from power outages.

What is a Power Outage?

When most people think of a power outage, they think of complete darkness. However, there are differing degrees of power outages. The three main types of power outages are:

• Permanent Fault– Large loss of power caused to a big area that is often caused by a fault somewhere on the power line. This will have everyone in your area asking, “Why is there no electricity to my house?”

• Brown Outs– A brown out occurs when there is a sudden drop in the voltage, often dimming lights. This can often be due to intentional low power by electrical companies. Intentional brown outs are done to try to lower electrical usage.

• Blackouts– The most famous type of power outage, blackouts occur on a huge scale. They affect a large area and can last for a long time. Often blackouts are caused by tripping wires at a power plant or station.

• Internal Outages– Often the most common of power outages, internal outages are caused by issues inside the home and may have you wondering why you are having a loss of power to your house, while your neighbors don’t.

Dominion website tracks all blackouts which you can also see on the map. They provide in details how many customers are out and how many current projects are in the area. Click Here to see the power outage map for Virginia. You can also report a power outage on power company website Dominion Power.

Each of these power outages can have different causes and solutions. As professional licensed electricians, Nipper Electric knows how to spot the difference between these outages and how to find solutions to your low power or power outage. 

What Causes a Power Outage?

Power outages are caused by many different things. Sometimes the causes are within your control, but often they are not. Causes of power outages include:

• Storms


• Power Company Issues


• Accidents


• Overheating


• Overloaded Panels


• Faulty Wiring

How to Prepare for Power Outage?

While you can’t always prevent a power outage, you can often prepare for a power outage. In some cases, you will need to contact your electrical company for professional help. Other times, professional electricians like Nipper Electric can help you solve electrical issues or install additions that will help your home stay safe in the case of a power outage. Some things to consider adding in the case of a power outage are:

• Back Up Solar Power


• Generators


• Sub Panels to Handle Extra Loads

Help prevent power outages, consider these precautions:

• Keep Trees Trimmed


• Don’t plant tall trees under electrical lines

Safety During Power Out

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is the leading non-profit organization dedicated promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace. Over the years, ESFI has created unique awareness and designed educational resources to provide the diverse needs of a variety of at-risk groups. They have created amazing disaster safety page with beautiful inforaphic to help people stay safe during power outage and other disasters.

How to minimize loss of power in your home?

• Maintain and Repair Meter Boxes


• Maintain and Repair Wiring


• Maintain and Repair Weatherheads


• Keep Outside Outlets Protected From Water with GFCI Installations


• Update Your Panel to Meet Your Electrical Load


• Perform Yearly Electrical Home Inspection

When you think about it, electricity affects every aspect of your life; yet often, you take it for granted… until it isn’t working properly, especially when it’s not working in your home. These are just few of examples in our home that we expect electricity to always work for us:

• When you flip a switch, what happens? A light comes on!


• When you open your fridge, what do you find? Cold food!


• And when you turn down your thermostat, what happens? You air conditioner kicks on!

No Power Only in My House

When you notice that you are the only one in the neighborhood that is experiencing power failure it will typically mean that it is isolated issue to your home only. Next step would be to call local electrician and have them find and determine a root of the electricity outage to avoid any serious damage to yourself or your home.

Your dependence on electricity is a huge reason why you should pay attention to any irregularities that you may have noticed in the past or are experiencing now and have ignored. They can be early signs of a potentially bigger problem:

• Light bulbs burning out frequently – It could be more than just overuse; you may have a loose connection in the socket or circuit. And recessed lights that go out may do so because they’re too hot because of nearby insulation. If operating properly, recessed lights are designed to shut themselves off in those cases, so as not to create a fire hazard.


• Flickering and dimming lights – This could be a sign of a poor connection in your circuit and can lead to eventual arching!


• Dead outlets – A poor connection could be the culprit again, or it tripped to prevent an excessive heat build-up that could result in the outlet melting.


• Warm switches and fixtures – This is definitely a safety concern and should be addressed immediately.


• Tripping breakers – Usually a sign that a circuit is drawing too much electricity and you’re experiencing an overload. If this happens constantly, it is definitely a potential fire risk. You should add a circuit or even consider upgrading your electrical service.

These are few of the many electrical issues that can be seen in a home. And it should also be pointed out that these may not be the exact reasons why these problems are occurring; there may be a host of others that we haven’t discussed. Often, it’s not a large issue you’re dealing with, but it’s really not worth gambling with your health and safety. You don’t want to be one of the thousands of people who experience a home-fire due to an ignored electrical problem.

Electrical Home Inspection

It’s important to give your home a complete safety inspection at least once a year. Look in your panel for burning or corrosion, tighten the breakers, and test its load and voltage with a voltage meter. Also, evaluate your outlets with a ground fault circuit interrupter device; look over any exposed wiring in your attic, basement, and crawl space; and examine your main disconnect box to see if it’s working properly.

All of these things will help prevent internal power outages and can even protect from outside power outages. If you have a question about any of these things, or you’re not certain how to do these things, don’t have the right tools, or would just like a second opinion contact Nipper Electric today at 757-842-1710 or make an appointment online. We are here to keep your home running and your family safe.

Our Services

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Power Outage