Repairs & troubleshooting
Electrical repairs, found and fixed.
Wyatt Electric tracks down and fixes electrical problems in homes across Harford County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City: breakers that keep tripping, dead outlets, flickering lights, and the small jobs on your list. We find the cause, explain it in plain English and give you the price before we start.
- ★5.0 · 12 Google reviews
- 4 Master Electricians on staff
- Licensed & insured
- Veteran owned
- 5.0 stars12 Google reviews
- Since 198640 years in business
- 4 MastersMaster Electricians
- Veteran ownedLicensed & insured
- ESGR 2010Above & Beyond Award
The short answer
Why does my breaker keep tripping?
Usually one of three things: too much running on one circuit, a short or ground fault somewhere on it, or a breaker that's worn out. A tripping breaker is doing its job, so resetting it over and over isn't a fix. An electrician tests the circuit to find which one it is.
- Trips when a heater, microwave or hair dryer runs: likely an overloaded circuit
- Trips the moment you reset it: likely a short, so leave it off and call
- A GFCI outlet that won't reset: often moisture or a fault downstream
- Flickering across several rooms: a loose connection worth checking soon
- Warm outlets or switch plates, or a burning smell: call us right away
- An older panel tripping more and more: it may be time to look at the panel
What we fix
The jobs on your list.
From one dead outlet to a list that's been growing for a year. If it's electrical and in your house, we can look at it.
Troubleshooting
Tripping breakers, dead circuits, flickering or dimming lights, and power that comes and goes. We test until we find the cause.
Outlets and switches
Replacing worn, loose or dead receptacles and switches, adding GFCI protection where it's needed, and swapping in USB or dimmer devices.
Ceiling fans and fixtures
Installing paddle fans and light fixtures on boxes rated to hold them, and replacing fixtures that have stopped working.
Surge protection
A whole-house surge protector at the panel helps shield electronics and appliances from voltage spikes.
Home inspection items
Fixing the electrical findings on a home inspection report, from missing GFCIs to double-tapped breakers.
Maintenance checks
A look over your panel, connections and devices, so small problems get fixed before they become bigger ones.
How a repair visit works
No runaround. Four steps.
- 1
Tell us what's going on.
Book online or call or text 410-557-8557. Photos of the problem, the panel or the outlet help.
- 2
We confirm a time window by text.
We work Monday–Friday, 7am–6pm. You get a window that suits you, and a quick call if we need details first.
- 3
We find the cause and price the fix.
A licensed electrician tests the circuit, explains what's wrong and gives you the price before any work starts.
- 4
Fixed, tested and cleaned up.
We make the repair to code, test it with you, and leave the room the way we found it.
Common problems
What it usually means.
A quick guide to common household problems. It's a starting point, not a diagnosis: testing the circuit is what tells you for sure.
Breaker keeps tripping
- Common causes
- Too much on one circuit, a short or ground fault, or a worn breaker.
- What to do now
- Unplug what was running and reset once. If it trips again right away, leave it off and book a visit.
Outlet stopped working
- Common causes
- A tripped GFCI elsewhere on the circuit, a tripped breaker, or a loose or failed connection.
- What to do now
- Check for a GFCI outlet in the kitchen, bath, garage or outside and press reset, then check the panel.
Lights flicker or dim
- Common causes
- A loose bulb or fixture connection, an LED on the wrong dimmer, or a loose connection in the circuit or panel.
- What to do now
- One fixture: try another bulb. Several rooms at once: book a visit soon.
Warm outlet, buzzing or burning smell
- Common causes
- A loose or overheating connection.
- What to do now
- Turn that circuit off at the panel and call 410-557-8557 now. Don't book online.
| Problem | Common causes | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Breaker keeps tripping | Too much on one circuit, a short or ground fault, or a worn breaker. | Unplug what was running and reset once. If it trips again right away, leave it off and book a visit. |
| Outlet stopped working | A tripped GFCI elsewhere on the circuit, a tripped breaker, or a loose or failed connection. | Check for a GFCI outlet in the kitchen, bath, garage or outside and press reset, then check the panel. |
| Lights flicker or dim | A loose bulb or fixture connection, an LED on the wrong dimmer, or a loose connection in the circuit or panel. | One fixture: try another bulb. Several rooms at once: book a visit soon. |
| Warm outlet, buzzing or burning smell | A loose or overheating connection. | Turn that circuit off at the panel and call 410-557-8557 now. Don't book online. |
If you see sparking, smell burning or lose power to part of the house, turn off the affected circuit if you can do so safely, and call us.
Google reviews
What our customers say.
“Great service and very friendly. I called last night about an electrical problem with a receptacle box in my basement. The tech, Dave, was at my house at 7:30 this morning and was able to quickly diagnose and fix the issue. Really nice, professional and excellent service and work. I would recommend them to anyone.”
“We have called Wyatt Electric twice, once in 2020 and again just recently. Each time they came, they were very friendly and helpful. They fixed all of our problems and left our home clean, even after installing a ceiling fan in my daughter's bedroom. My daughter said that they are her BFFs after fixing the light in her playroom and installing a fan in her room. We would highly recommend them. Thank you for your hard work with a smile!”
“Expert work, quickly done, great advice given...and super nice! I very highly recommend this company.”
Repair questions
Before you book.
Is it safe to keep resetting a breaker?
Once is fine. If it trips again right away, or keeps tripping over days, something on that circuit needs to be found and fixed. Leave it off and book a visit.
Why did half my outlets stop working?
Often a GFCI outlet upstream has tripped, and it protects the outlets after it. Check the kitchen, bathrooms, garage and outdoor outlets for one with a tripped reset button. If none reset, call us.
Do you do small jobs?
Yes. Replacing a switch, adding an outlet, hanging a ceiling fan or swapping a fixture are all part of our residential work.
Do electrical repairs need a permit?
Some do, like new circuits and panel work. We'll tell you before we start, and pull it if it's needed. In Baltimore County, unpermitted electrical work carries a $1,000 civil penalty.
What are your hours?
Monday–Friday, 7am–6pm. Book online any time, or call or text 410-557-8557.
How much will it cost?
It depends on what we find. We diagnose the problem first, then explain the fix and the price before any work starts, so there are no surprises.
Where we work · Repairs & troubleshooting
Three jurisdictions, one crew.
Each one has its own permit office and code edition. We work in all three and pull the permits ourselves.
- Harford CountyJarrettsville, Bel Air, Fallston, Forest Hill and the rest of the county.Electrician in Harford County
- Baltimore CountyTowson, Hunt Valley, Phoenix, Monkton, Sparks and the rest of the county.Electrician in Baltimore County
- Baltimore CityRowhomes and older houses across Baltimore City.Electrician in Baltimore City
Related services
When a repair turns into more.
Book a visit
Tell us what's going on.
We'll take it from there.
Book online in about a minute, or call or text 410-557-8557, Monday–Friday, 7am–6pm. We confirm by text, and a licensed electrician shows up in your window.
Burning smell, sparking or no power? Don't book online. Call now: 410-557-8557