Electrical Troubleshooting and Repair in Triangle, VA

Is it Dominion's problem or your home's problem?

Start by looking out the window. If the houses around you and the streetlights are out too, the problem is on Dominion's lines. Report it at 1-866-366-4357 or on the Dominion outage center. The county's power outage page asks every household to report and not assume a neighbor has done it.

Lines in Triangle do come down. On May 26, 2011, power lines fell across U.S. 1 at Joplin Road, and traffic backed up about four miles north until the road reopened, per Potomac Local. Stay well away from any fallen line, and call Dominion and 911. Never touch it.

If your neighbors have power and you do not, check your main breaker and the panel first. If one room is dead, look for a tripped breaker or a GFCI outlet that has popped. If half the house is dark, or lights get very bright and then dim, call us and Dominion right away. That can mean a loose neutral or a failed part where the service meets the house, and it can damage your appliances.

Faults we find in older Triangle houses

About 1,240 Triangle homes were built before 1980, per the Census ACS. In houses from the 1950s to the 1970s, many problems come from age and add-ons. We see worn outlets that no longer grip a plug, splices hidden in walls without a box, and circuits that have been stretched to cover rooms they were never meant for.

Some homes wired from about 1965 to 1973 may have aluminum branch wiring. The CPSC warns that its connections can overheat, and signs include warm cover plates, flickering lights and a smell of burning plastic near outlets or switches. Turn off that circuit and call us.

Older panels can also hide trouble. Breakers that trip for no clear reason, or a panel that feels warm, need a closer look before more load is added.

Faults we find in newer Triangle homes

About half of Triangle homes were built in 2000 or later. Many of these homes have GFCI outlets and arc fault breakers, and those devices trip on purpose when they sense a fault. A breaker that trips again and again is telling you something: a worn cord, a damp outdoor outlet or a nail through a cable from a picture hook or a shelf.

A frequent cause in newer homes is simply load. A space heater and a hair dryer on one bathroom circuit, or a freezer added to a garage circuit, can push it over. We trace the circuit and tell you if it needs a fix or just a new habit.

Some repairs need a county permit, such as a new circuit or a replaced panel. For small residential jobs, Prince William County offers a Limited Service/Repair Permit Program that keeps the paperwork simple.