Fault finding and repairs
Electrical fault finding and repairs in Westmere
A breaker that will not stay on, a row of dead power points or a light that flickers whenever the jug boils is a fault with a cause. We trace electrical faults in Westmere homes and businesses methodically, explain what we found, and repair it properly rather than resetting it and hoping.
Why faults are worth finding, not just resetting
When a breaker trips or a fuse blows, it has done its job: it has cut power to part of the house to stop an overload or a fault turning into a fire. Resetting it brings the power back but leaves the cause where it was. WorkSafe's advice is simple. If a circuit breaker keeps tripping, call a licensed electrician.
Older houses make fault finding more interesting. A Westmere bungalow may carry wiring from several eras, with new circuits joined to old ones and fittings added by owners over a century. A fault can sit a long way from where it shows itself, and the switchboard labels may no longer describe what each circuit feeds. Tracing it means testing, not guessing. And sometimes the wiring is fine and the culprit is an appliance: a stove that trips the power on switch-on is a job for our oven and cooktop repair service.
Faults we are called about most
How we trace a fault
Listen first
When did it start, what was running, does it happen in the rain, and what has changed in the house recently? The answers narrow the search more than anything else.
Test, circuit by circuit
We isolate and test the affected circuits to find whether the fault is in the fixed wiring, a fitting or an appliance plugged into it.
Repair the cause
The faulty part is repaired or replaced, and anything that has been overheating is dealt with rather than left in place.
Leave a record
You are told what was found and what was done. Where the repair involves new fixed wiring, it is tested and certified; WorkSafe notes that a like-for-like replacement of a socket or fitting is maintenance and does not need a certificate.
Inside the house, or on the line?
Not every fault is inside the house. Vector, the lines company for most of Auckland, generally owns the network up to the point of supply, which is usually an isolating fuse at your boundary or on the nearest pole. Vector's guide to who owns which electricity lines explains that the service line from that point to your meter usually belongs to the property owner, and that the wiring inside the house is a job for your electrician.
That matters when a fault shows up as dim lights or half the house losing power. If the problem is on the network, Vector fixes it; if it is your service line or your wiring, we can. If the power has gone completely, or you can smell burning, treat it as urgent and see our 24/7 emergency electrician page.
Fault finding questions
The breaker trips again as soon as I reset it. What should I do?
Leave it off. WorkSafe suggests switching off the lights and unplugging the appliances on that circuit before resetting; if it still will not hold, call a licensed electrician. Something on the circuit is faulty and needs finding.
Could the fault be in an appliance?
Often it is. Unplugging appliances one at a time is a fair first test. We repair ovens, cooktops and waste disposals, and can tell you when another appliance is the culprit; fridges and washing machines need their own repairer.
How long does fault finding take?
It depends on the fault. Some show up in minutes; an intermittent fault in an older house can take longer to pin down. We tell you what we are finding as we go.
Is it safe to keep using a socket that feels warm?
No. WorkSafe lists plugs and sockets that are hot to the touch, or have brown scorch marks, among the warning signs of a dangerous installation. Stop using it, switch that circuit off if you can, and have it checked.
Do you find faults in shops and offices?
Yes. We do commercial electrical work as well as residential, and a fault that stops a business trading can be called in at any hour.
Talk to an electrician about your Westmere home
Call 021 156 4005 any time of the day or night, or send the details below and we will get back to you.
Our other Westmere services
House rewiring
Replacing worn or overloaded wiring in Westmere's bungalows and state houses, room by room or the whole house, tested and certified.Switchboard upgrades
Old fuse boards replaced with modern circuit breakers and RCD protection, with the inspection arranged where the law requires one.24/7 emergency call-outs
An electrician on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for power loss, burning smells, storm damage and anything unsafe.Heat pump installation
Heat pumps installed by licensed electricians, with the circuit, isolation and outdoor unit planned around your house.LED and garden lighting
LED downlights, kitchen and living room lighting, and outdoor and garden lighting for Westmere homes.Oven and cooktop repairs
Electrical repairs to ovens, cooktops and waste disposals, from failed elements to tripping circuits.Enquiries
Contact us
Call 021 156 4005, or tell us what is happening and where, and we will get back to you.
021 156 4005- Auckland
- Call-outs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week