Home Electrical Safety

The electrical system is an essential part of your home, yet it’s often taken for granted — and that’s a dangerous attitude to have when it comes to electricity.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) to see if any pertain to your situation. The information contained in each cause and/or solution is for informational purposes only. Do not use FAQ information as an instructional guide or training aid. When in doubt of Electrical Safety call a licensed electrician. 

Are you Licensed to work in Washington State?

Miller’s Electric Services is a registered contractor in the State of Washington (Lic# MILLEES874MU). Contractor registration can be verified by calling the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries at (509) 735-0100.

Do you have references?

Yes references are available at request.

Do I need an Electrical Permit?

Depending on the scope of your job you will almost always need a permit. Please be aware that electrical contractors must purchase their own electrical permits for work they do on your property. If your contractor is resistant to or unable to pull a work permit this should send a red flag to you. It will usually be that they are not insured or licensed to work in your area. Miller’s Electric Services LLC will pull a permit for most of the work that we do.

I have reset the breaker but my power is still out, what do I do?

First determine the cause of trip and correct it. In order to reset a breaker in your electrical panel, you must move (push) the breaker firmly to the off position (this resets it) and then push it back to the on position. Most people fail to push the breaker firmly past the off (tripped) position and assume it is reset. If you perform the correct reset procedure and still have no power, call a licensed electrical contractor. Breakers can wear out over time if they are tripped too frequently. If you are not sure what caused it to trip please call a licensed electrician.

Why are some outlets/lights working in a room and some are not?

There are many things that can cause this to happen. Possible causes of this are the outlets/lights that work are on a separate circuit than those that do not work. It is also possible an outlet is bad. Some outlets and light switches wear out and simple replacement fixes the problem. You will want to check your
electrical panel’s breakers to ensure there are no tripped breakers. If all the breakers are reset and on and you still cannot get power to the outlet and/or light, please call a licensed electrician.

A light fixture in my house is flickering, what should I do?

A flickering light could be the symptom of several problems. But this should be checked immediacy by a licensed electrician because of the potential for a fire hazard. It could also be a loose connection in the circuit and/or a problem outside your house especially if all the lights in the house seem to be flickering. In any case like this it’s best to not use the lights and please call a licensed electrician to check it out.

How does hiring a licensed electrician protect me?

In order for a licensed electrician to conduct business, they must be completely insured. The electrician must have an active general liability policy, automobile policy, and workman’s compensation if he employs anyone. A license will not be renewed if these insurance policies are not in place.