100 Word Answers To Popular Google Search Questions

1) "Why does a socket get hot?"

A socket will get hot if it is overloaded. It will also get hot when there are loose connections. There are many chances for loose connections to occur in a socket when we examine the construction of the socket and plug interface. A plug has connections inside that rely on the tightness of the screws holding cables in. The socket has cables connected into the terminals on the rear which also rely on tight screws. Then there is the internal workings of the socket that can become worn and loose. There is actually a lot of things that can become loose and cause overheating issues.

2) "When should an electrician provide a certificate?"

An electrician should provide a certificate under the following circumstances. 

• A new wiring installation such as a rewire or an new circuit being installed for example a car charger or cooker circuit.
• An existing wiring installation where a circuit is being extended to additional sockets or lights that will mean extra electrical points on the circuit.
• After performing a periodic electrical inspection a certificate will be produced.
• A rewire or a new consumer unit. 

This is not an exhaustive list but covers most situations. There are other situations that may require an electrical certificate but call us to ask if you are unsure.

3) "Why is my light switch tripping the breaker?"

Your light switch is tripping the breaker because there is likely an electrical problem on the circuit. It is more common that this is the case rather than a faulty breaker. If this is happening in your home then call us to come and investigate this for you. Once we have located the issue we will then be able to quote you to repair the problem. This may be very little / no additional charge if the problem is simple or may require further works / extra cost if the issue is a bigger problem. Unfortunately we will not know until we have performed some investigative works.

4) "Light switch trips breaker when turned on?"

There is likely to be a problem with the wiring on your lights if this occurs. We are regularly told by customers that they want a quote for a new breaker installation but it is rare that this is the actual problem and whilst we are happy to provide a quote for this it is more often the case that we have to perform some investigative works on the wiring to find the ACTUAL location of the problem. Once the problem has been located, the repair may be simple and quick requiring no parts and minimal extra cost or it may be a serious problem that requires further works / quote for works and a discussion.

5) "Electrician no call out fee"

If you want an electrician with no call out fee then we can help. We do not charge a call out fee. We only charge for our labour and parts. Our first hour labour rates can be found on our website or by calling us. The first hour labour will vary. Out of hours emergency labour rates are more than in hours emergency labour rates. Our emergency electrician page will outline the costs, just click here.

If you simply want a quote for works then we will arrange to visit you as soon as we can to look at your job and give you an estimate / quote for works. 

6) "Electrician fault finding cost"

Our emergency fault finding costs can be seen on our emergency electrician page on the website. Check our charges before making a call. We are always happy to attend 24/7 when you have an electrical emergency and we will find the fault as quickly as possible and get you back up and running as soon as we can. Typical emergency charges vary between £120-£150 but for latest rates always check our website.

7) "Why does my light keep flickering?"

A light flickering is likely to be caused by a loose connection at the switch, the light fitting or in between in a junction box. Lights can also be made to flicker if they are controlled by a dimmer switch that is incompatible with the type of light bulbs (lamps) that are installed in the light fittings. Lights can flicker if there are issues on other electrical circuits or with the mains supply to your home. If there is persistent flickering then it is important you have this checked by an electrician. 

8) "My electric shower won’t turn on"

If your electric shower won’t turn on then there could be a power supply problem to the shower. Shower circuits are notorious for electrical issues. Common causes of power failure to showers are faulty circuit breaker, faulty pull cord isolators, loose connections, underrated electrical cables for the size of shower and burnt out connections. An electric shower problem is something that should be checked by an electrician without delay.

9) "My electric cooker tripping"

When this kind of issue occurs it is quite often the cooker itself that has gone faulty and more often than not then element within the cooker has failed. Electrical cooking elements can go faulty every few years and cause the electrical supply in your home to trip. Sometimes the cooker will not even need to be turned on for the electrical supply to trip. An electrician will be able to test the cooker and the circuit for your to establish what the issue is and the likely course of action for repair or replacement. 

10) "My fuse box is crackling?"

The crackling noise is the sound of electrical arcing. Electricity jumping a microscopic gap and breaking down the resistance of air in order to do it. As interesting as this is, its not safe an should be rectified by an electrician immediately. There exists a real risk of fire whenever there is electrical arcing. Your electrician will be able to tell you what repair or replacement works need to happen in order to make everything safe again. 

11) "All my sockets have tripped?"

When this happens there is usually a good reason for this. The first thing you should try before resetting the switch is unplugging everything from the wall. That means actually pulling the plugs out of the wall not just turning appliances off. A trip switch can sometimes detect faulty appliances plugged in but switched off. Once everything in the house has been unplugged then you can try resetting the switch. More details are available on our help sheet page. 

12) "Pull switch not working"

Light pull switches and shower pull switches do occasionally fail. If you find that your pull cord switch is not working then these are not often possible to repair and as such a replacement is often the best option. Always call a qualified electrician to work on your electrical system. They have specialist tools to double check earthing and circuit safety that DIY'ers do not possess. A replacement switch is normally a straight forward job and can be carried out same day in a lot of cases. 

12.1) Our contact info:

📞 0151 351 4011

📧 Fill in our contact form here.