In Charge Home Electric
Electrician working at the service entrance on the side of a house

Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair in Seattle

Whether you have breakers that keep tripping, dead outlets, flickering lights, burning smells, or any other electrical issue, we can help. Simple fixes done on the spot, and anything bigger quoted for free with no obligation.

Licensed, Bonded, & Insured
Over 100 Five-Star Reviews
Free Estimates
Upfront Pricing
Permits and Inspection Included
2-Year Warranty
Call(425) 202-5529

WA Lic #CHARGCH761KL · Most jobs scheduled the same week

Breakers, Outlets, Lights and Smells

Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

Some of the most common issues we get called out to handle are:

Repeatedly Tripping Breakers

Dead or Loose Outlets

Flickering Lights

Burning Smells

GFCIs That Keep Tripping

Rooms That Lost Power

Buzzing or Humming

Storm or Other Damage

Have an issue not on the list? Call (425) 202-5529 or submit the form describing it, and we will tell you if it is something we can fix or refer you to someone who can.

What to Expect When We Arrive

During your appointment, a licensed electrician will arrive and a start with a few questions. What stopped working, when it started, and what was running at the time usually gives us all of the information we need to pinpoint the issue. If the troubleshoot means moving an appliance or entering a crawlspace or attic, we will always ask you first and clean up behind ourselves.

We Find the Root Cause

Often times we've found homeowners have already had someone out for the same issue before. The previous folks maybe swapped the part that looked wrong, or simply flipped the breaker back on, and then the problem came back a month later. We keep going until we find the full source of the issue to ensure that it doesn't happen again.

Finished microwave outlet with a circuit tester plugged in to confirm it is wired correctly
Ladder set against a house at the service entrance and meter
Remodel in progress with the drywall and light fixture removed for access to the panel and its circuits

When It Cannot Wait

When to Shut It Off and Call

Many electrical issues are simply an inconvenience that does not need to be resolved immediately. However, a few are not, and should be addressed as soon as possible.

Weird Smells, Heat, or Burn Marks

If anything smells like hot plastic or burning, has a scorch mark or other major discoloration, or if a breaker is tripping repeatedly the instant you reset it, you should switch that cicuit off, stop using it, and call us at (425) 202-5529 as soon as possible.

The House Half-Works

If some rooms are dead and others fine with the main breaker on, or some lights are unusually bright in one half of the house and dim in the other, you should give us a call. That pattern points to a systemic issue that can damage anything plugged in and should be addressed sooner rather than later.

Damage Outside the House

Wind and falling branches take service masts off houses across the region every winter. If the pipe carrying your service wires has pulled loose from the wall, or the weatherhead is hanging, that is and urgent issue for safety reasons. We reset and re-secure masts, replace weatherheads, and coordinate with the utility if the power has to be disconnected to do it.

Damaged service mast pulled away from the house, before repair
Repaired service mast secured back to the house with a new weatherhead

Damaged Electrical Panel

Water in a panel, a buzzing or humming noise coming from the panel, or any visible arcing (indicated by burn marks) belong in the same category. If you are not sure whether what you have is urgent, give us a call and we are happy to talk it through so you have peace of mind.

What It Costs

What Determines Troubleshooting Cost?

A diagnostic call is billed by the hour with a one-hour minimum with small fixes included:

Hourly, One Hour Minimum

A troubleshooting visit is billed by the hour with a one-hour minimum. Most calls are completed in the first hour.

Simple Fixes Are Included

If the cause turns out to be something small, like a loose connection or dead outlet, we fix it on the spot.

Bigger Work Gets a Quote

Anything beyond a simple fix stops there and becomes an itemized, no obligation quote.

Call (425) 202-5529 or submit the form with a photo of whatever is not working and we will tell you what the visit will cost and get you on the schedule.

Do I Need a Permit?

Most repair calls do not need one. Replacing a failed outlet, a switch, a breaker, or a light fixture is maintenance on wiring that is already there, and it goes ahead the day we find the issue. A permit and an inspection come in only when the fix adds or replaces wiring.

Customer Reviews

Real Reviews From Recent Repair Calls

Pamela K.

Bellevue

“This morning around 4am woke up due to being cold. Attempted to reset circuit went to AI which listed a couple of nearby reliable electricians. Left a message at 'In Charge Home Electric' to see if they could fit me into their schedule. It was past 8:00am so we scheduled for 10:00. Troy arrived and diagnosed the problem, fixed it, educated me on how to prevent further problems and I'm writing this review at 10:40. I had overloaded the circuit with a portable heater and electric blanket. The plug in was fried and if not for the circuit breaker I would have woke up to flames or not woking up at all, along with my neighbors since we live in a multi-family home. To say I am grateful is an incredible understatement and we will be getting all of our electrical work done by this company. I highly recommend 'In Charge Home Electric' for whatever small or large electric needs you might have.”
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Sandra M.

Redmond

“Edwin and his assistant Noah did a great job troubleshooting and repairing the problem with several of my electrical outlets. They also labeled the circuits in both of my electrical panels. I had no idea how much I needed them correctly identified until it was done. I’m very happy with the service In Charge Home Electric provided.”
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Occidental G.

Seattle

“Prompt, professional and price was worth every penny! We were in the middle of gas fireplace project when we needed electrician immediately. We have an older home, so this two man team check fuse box, outlets, switches, junction boxes... not giving up discovered a wire from an "honey do" ceiling fan. Lastly, we are grateful for their perseverance and patience. Definitely, will be using In Charge Home Electric for our electrical needs.”
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Over 100 five-star reviews across Google, Yelp, and more. See all reviews

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Once, yes. If it holds, something on that circuit drew too much for a moment and the breaker did what it is for. If it trips straight back off, leave it off and call. Resetting a breaker onto a live fault is how a fault becomes a fire.

By the hour, with a one-hour minimum, and you hear the rate when you call rather than when we hand you an invoice. If the cause is something simple we fix it on the spot within that time at no extra charge. If it needs more than that, we stop and write you a quote, and nothing else happens until you have signed off on it.

We keep room in the schedule for faults and prioritize anything that sounds like a hazard: a burning smell, a hot device, water in a panel. Most calls get out within a day or two, and safety calls sooner. Phone rather than email if it is urgent.

A GFCI trips when a small amount of current leaves the circuit somewhere other than the neutral, which usually means moisture. Outdoor outlets and bathroom circuits do it in wet weather. If it trips with nothing plugged in, the receptacle itself has usually failed.

Not necessarily, one failed connection can kill everything downstream of it. The fix is often caused by one device or one splice, and a big symptom does not always mean a major repair is needed.

A brief dip when a large motor starts is normal. A noticeable, repeated dim across the whole house is not, and it points at the service, the main connections, or a loose neutral. That is worth looking at promptly.

Usually. Tracing a circuit to find where a previous owner buried a splice is a normal part of this work, and older Seattle-area homes have plenty of them. A buried junction box is not allowed to stay buried, so once we find it we make it accessible and bring it up to code as part of the fix.

Yes, but we will also give you lower-cost alternatives when they are safe. While a circuit that keeps failing because it is old knob-and-tube is not permanently fixed by yet another repair visit, we understand that budget is also a constraint and will work together to find the best option for you.

Free Estimate

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We respond to most requests within the hour, but will get back to you within a day at the latest.

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What's Included in Every Repair Call

  • Licensed, insured electricians
  • Cause found, not just symptoms
  • Hourly rate known before we come out
  • Simple fixes done on the spot
  • Bigger work quoted and signed off first
  • Workmanship warranty

Prefer to talk it through?

Call(425) 202-5529

How It Works

From a Symptom to a Fix

1

Tell Us the Symptom

Call or send the form with what stopped working, when it started, and anything that makes it happen.

2

We Find the Cause

A licensed electrician tests the circuits involved, identifies the issue, and tells you what it is and what it will take to fix.

3

Fixed, and Explained

A simple fix happens there and then, inside the time you are already paying for. Anything bigger becomes a written quote you sign off before we go ahead.

In Charge Home Electric serving the Greater Seattle area

Our Service Area

Electrical Repairs Across Greater Seattle

We diagnose and repair tripping breakers, dead outlets, flickering lights, failing GFCIs, damaged service masts, and faults nobody else could find, from Seattle to Mount Vernon. Hourly diagnostics with a one-hour minimum, simple fixes done on the spot, and a full warranty on every repair.

Our service area includes

SeattleBellevueRentonKirklandRedmondBothellShorelineBurienTukwilaEverettArlingtonMount VernonLynnwoodMarysvilleEdmondsKenmoreMercer IslandSnohomishSammamishMedina

and surrounding communities

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