• Council Bluffs Iowa Electrical FAQs

    1. Why do the lights in my Council Bluffs Iowa home and/or business frequently flicker?

    If you notice that your lights are often flickering, especially anytime you turn on a major appliance or a computer, it is possible your home's wiring is older and might need replacing as there are crossing electrical paths. Older wiring was not designed to handle the level of electrical load located in most modern homes. This can be a serious issue actually putting your home at risk of an electrical fire. Give us a call at Loess Hill Electrical and let our affiliated electricians investigate the issue for you.

     

    2. Why are my Council Bluffs Iowa electrical panel circuits tripping?

    If you find that you have a specific circuit in your breaker box that is continually tripping, it could signaling that you have too many electrical devices running on that same circuit. It could also possibly be a faulty circuit. If you are unable to get your circuit breaker to reset by flipping it back, do NOT try to force it to stay on. Frequent breaker trips could be a sign of an overload circuit, or a wire, socket, or appliance could be overheating, and either of these issues could cause a fire. Give us a call at Loess Hill Electrical and let our affiliated electricians investigate the issue for you.

     

    3. Can I install electrical wiring, electrical outlets, or electrical panels myself in my Council Bluffs Iowa home or business?

    While knowledgeable men and women are able to complete do-it-yourself wiring, it is vital to have a permit and the installation must be inspected by the city or county electrical inspector. You may also require a certified contractor to install electrical wiring. Regardless, for your safety and the safety and well being of those in your home or business, please contact Loess Hills Electrical to set you up with a licensed electrician to complete your electrical repairs safely and efficiently.

     

    4. What is the difference between 110 volt and 220 volt outlets in my Council Bluffs Iowa home or business?

    220 volt means more voltage at the same cycles per second (cps), which means more power to the appliance every second. Generally, 220 volt is used for large appliances (refrigerator, freezer, dish washer, etc.), 110V is used for small appliances (blender, mixer, lamp, etc.). Using a 110V appliance in a 220V outlet will quickly burn out the appliance or create more hazardous issues. Using a 220V appliance in a 110V outlet will make the appliance run slow or it may not run at all.

     

    5. What is a surge protector and why do I need one?

    A surge protector is an appliance that protects plugged in electrical devices from voltage spikes from lightning, power surge, or other random electrical issue. A surge protector is designed to limit the voltage flow to an electric device by blocking any unwanted voltages above a safe threshold. Loess Hills Electrical would highly recommend you have all high-end electrical devices plugged into a surge protector, or even better unplugged if a predictable electrical surge event (thunderstorm) is to occur and could create a voltage spike.

     

    6. Why is my Council Bluffs Iowa electrical panel buzzing?

    A breaker could be loose, or a hot breaker is allowing current to flow between hot and neutral. Either way, you need to report this immediately to Loess Hills Electrical to have us get a licensed electrician to investigate the issue as soon as possible. Until then, do not touch or get near the electrical panel.

     

    7. Why are one or more of my outlets not working?

    If outlets aren’t working, we recommend checking the GFI outlets (GFI outlets are the two buttons between the outlets) to make sure they aren’t tripped. If you suspect you need to reset the outlet, unplug everything from the outlet, and then press the "reset" button. If you see any clear signs the outlet is loose, stop and don't do any more testing on it, and immediately contact Loess Hills Electrical to get a licensed electrician to investigate. A loose outlet or an outlet that continually resets could be a potentially more dangerous situation that could harm you or others in your home or business, or at worst result in an electrical fire.

     

    8. What should I do if a light or electrical appliance is not working?

    The first thing to check is that the light has not burned out or the electrical appliance is plugged in. If in this process you hear a buzzing sound or smell a burning odor, immediately contact Loess Hills Electrical to get an electrician to investigate what could be a more hazardous situation. If there is no buzzing or burning smell, check to inquire if the corresponding circuit on the electrical panel has tripped. If it has, you can simply reset the breaker. If that isn’t the case, and it’s a bad light or electrical appliance that needs to be replaced, please call us at Loess Hills Electrical to schedule a time for us to come safely and efficiently install a new light, fan, or other electrical appliance to get your home or business back to full function.

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