Electrical Repair
When the Lights Don't Lie
Your home's electrical system is one of those things you never think about -- until something stops working. A light flickers. A breaker trips for the third time this week. An outlet just stops working. Suddenly you're standing in the kitchen wondering whether to Google it or call someone.
Here's the honest answer: some electrical issues are simple. A tripped GFCI, a loose bulb, a breaker that needed a firm reset -- these things happen and they're usually nothing to worry about. But electrical problems have a way of looking minor on the surface while something more serious is going on underneath. That's what makes them different from most home repairs.
What the Warning Signs Actually Mean
Flickering lights can mean a loose connection in your panel. A repeatedly tripping breaker can signal an overloaded circuit or a wiring fault. A warm outlet is never just a warm outlet -- heat in an electrical component means resistance, and resistance means potential arcing, which is one of the leading causes of house fires.
Dead circuits that don't show an obvious tripped breaker are almost always a wiring issue somewhere along the circuit -- a loose connection that worked fine for years and finally let go, a wire that got nicked during a renovation, or a GFCI outlet somewhere upstream that tripped and cut power to everything downstream. That last one catches a lot of people off guard. A single GFCI outlet in a bathroom, kitchen, or garage can control power to outlets in completely different rooms.
Outlet and Dimmer Switch Repair
Few things in a home are more quietly frustrating than an electrical device that doesn't work the way it should. The outlet on the kitchen counter that stopped working and now everything has to be plugged in somewhere inconvenient. The dimmer switch in the dining room that buzzes faintly at every setting except full brightness. Small problems, but the kind that get noticed multiple times a day, every day.
Dimmer problems are often a compatibility issue -- not all dimmers work with all bulbs. The combination of a dimmer designed for incandescent bulbs paired with LED fixtures is one of the most common causes of buzzing, flickering, and poor dimming range. The fix is usually a dimmer that's properly rated for the LED load -- a small change that makes a noticeable difference. We diagnose, explain what we found, and fix it cleanly -- no guesswork, no unnecessary parts, no surprises on the bill.
3-Way and 4-Way Switch Repair
Every home has at least one. The light switch at the top of the stairs that only works sometimes. The one at the other end of the hallway that seems to have its own opinion about whether the lights should be on. These switches are designed to control a single light fixture from two or more locations. When they work, they're seamless. When they don't work, they're baffling.
The frustrating part is that a failing 3-way or 4-way switch can look completely normal from the outside. The switch feels fine. Nothing looks burned or broken. The problem is almost always in the wiring -- a loose connection, a wire on the wrong terminal, a failed switch that's only failed in certain positions, or a previous repair that wasn't quite done correctly. We sort it out cleanly, test every switching position, and leave everything working the way it was always supposed to.
Guaranteed Electrical Troubleshooting To Figure Out Any Electrical Problem Or It's FREE:
Electricity is the one trade where the consequences of a mistake aren't immediately visible. Bad electrical work can look completely fine and still represent a fire hazard that won't announce itself for months or years. Tommy offers upfront prices to figure out ANY electrical problem or there is no charge.
- --Dead outlet diagnosis and repair
- --GFCI outlet installation and reset
- --Dimmer switch replacement
- --3-way and 4-way switch repair
- --Dead circuit diagnosis
- --USB outlet upgrades
Recessed Lighting, Mood Lighting and More
Recessed Lighting: The Upgrade That Changes Everything
Ask anyone who has had recessed lighting installed in a room that didn't have it before, and they'll tell you the same thing: they should have done it years ago. It's one of those upgrades that genuinely transforms how a space looks and feels -- and once it's in, you can't imagine the room without it.
Recessed lighting distributes light evenly across the room instead of creating a bright center and dim edges. It eliminates the shadows that make a room feel smaller and less inviting. On a dimmer -- which is almost always the right call -- it gives you complete control over the mood of the room, from bright and functional to warm and relaxed.
The installation involves more than just cutting holes in the ceiling. The circuit needs to be properly sized. The lights need to be laid out so the spacing is even and the coverage is right for the room. Dimmer switches need to be compatible with the specific fixtures being used. In existing homes, recessed lighting often means working in the attic or fishing wire through finished walls -- which takes patience and experience to do cleanly, without leaving a trail of patched drywall behind. Done right, it looks like it was always there.
Mood Lighting: Because Your Home Should Feel as Good as It Looks
There's a reason every great restaurant and well-designed living space has lighting that feels just right -- warm, layered, inviting. It's not an accident. It's not expensive furniture or fancy finishes. It's the lighting. And it's something most homes get almost completely wrong.
The typical home lighting setup is a single overhead fixture in the middle of the ceiling, blazing away at full brightness. Mood lighting is the art of layering light sources at different heights and intensities to make a room feel the way you want it to feel. Recessed lights on a dimmer for general ambiance. Under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen that makes the countertops glow. A wall sconce that adds warmth without overhead glare. Accent lighting that draws attention to the things in the room worth looking at.
Designing a Lighting Plan That Actually Works
Most people don't think about lighting until they're standing in a room that doesn't feel quite right and can't figure out why. The furniture is good. The paint color is right. Everything is in the right place -- and yet the room feels flat, or harsh, or just slightly off. Nine times out of ten, it's the lighting.
Lighting design is consistently the last thing discussed and the first thing that gets value-engineered away when budgets get tight. The irony is that lighting design, done at the right stage of a project, costs almost nothing extra. The work is happening anyway -- the electrician is already there, the walls are already open. Adding thoughtful placement of recessed lights, under-cabinet circuits, accent lighting rough-ins, and dimmer-capable switches at the rough-in stage is a fraction of what it costs to add them later. We do both the planning and the installation, so nothing gets lost between the idea and the finished result.
Recessed Lighting
Even distribution, dimmer-compatible, and installed cleanly without leaving a trail of patched drywall. Layout planned for the room before a single hole is cut.
Ceiling Fans and Fixtures
Ceiling fan installation and replacement, including wiring a new circuit if your room doesn't currently have a ceiling box. Remote and smart control wiring available.
Outdoor and Shed Lighting
Thoughtful outdoor lighting that extends the usability of your outdoor space. Weatherproof installations designed to hold up to Seattle's wet winters without corroding or failing.
EV Charger Installation and Repair
EV Charging Station Repair
When your EV charger stops working, it has a way of reorganizing your entire week. Suddenly you're calculating range, hunting for public charging stations, and spending twenty minutes waiting for a spot at the grocery store charger when you used to just plug in at home and forget about it.
EV charging issues usually fall into one of a few categories. Sometimes it's the charger itself -- a failed component, a tripped internal breaker, or a firmware issue. Sometimes it's the circuit -- a loose connection at the breaker, a failing outlet, or a wire that's developed a problem. We handle EV charger diagnosis and repair for all major charger brands, testing the full circuit from panel to plug and getting everything back to working the way it should.
Vehicle-to-Home Power: The Technology Most Homeowners Don't Know Exists
Certain EV chargers -- paired with compatible vehicles like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, and newer Hyundai and Kia models -- can reverse direction and push power from your vehicle's battery back into your home during an outage. A fully charged electric truck carries enough stored energy to power a typical home for several days. It's a backup power system that drives you to the grocery store on normal days and keeps your lights on when the grid goes down. We handle the installation of bidirectional charger systems and the dedicated circuits they require.
Panel Work, Generators and Transfer Switches
Whole House Surge Protection
A whole house surge protector is one of the genuinely worthwhile electrical upgrades a homeowner can make. One device, installed at the main panel, that stands between a voltage spike and every appliance, device, and piece of electronics in your home. Refrigerators, HVAC systems, televisions, computers -- all protected. The device itself costs between $50 and $150 for a quality unit from a reputable manufacturer. Installation takes 30 to 45 minutes. The fair price for a whole house surge protector, installed correctly, should be $150 to $300 in most situations -- device included. We charge fairly for this job because it's the right thing to do.
- --Breaker replacement and AFCI installation
- --Circuit analysis
- --Whole house surge protection
Generator Repair and Service
The frustrating truth about generators is that they're easy to neglect between uses. They sit in a garage or shed for months at a time. Old fuel that's broken down and gummed up the carburetor. A battery that's slowly discharged. Oil that hasn't been changed in three years. These are all fixable problems -- but they tend to announce themselves at the worst possible time. We service and repair generators so that when the next outage comes -- and in Seattle, it will -- yours is ready.
Generator Transfer Switch Repair
The transfer switch is the component that safely connects your generator to your home's electrical system while simultaneously disconnecting from the utility line. Without a properly functioning transfer switch, your generator is just an extension cord situation. With one, it's a genuine backup power system. When a transfer switch fails, the symptoms range from the generator running but not powering the house, to circuits that work intermittently, to a switch that simply won't engage. We test the full system, identify the fault, make the repair, and verify that everything transfers correctly before we leave. When the next storm comes, your backup power will actually back you up.
Smart Home Wiring and Mini Splits
Smart Home Wiring and Modern Upgrades
The pace of innovation in home electrical systems has quietly become remarkable. Smart switches, thermostats, doorbells, appliance circuits, and smart home upgrades -- whole-home lighting control systems with full scene programming where a single tap sets the mood for dinner, a movie, or winding down for bed across every room simultaneously. Under-cabinet lighting with motion activation. Bathroom mirrors with integrated lighting and defogging. Outlets with built-in USB-C charging at the right wattage to actually fast-charge modern devices. None of these are out of reach, and most are surprisingly affordable in homes that were built decades ago.
Mini Split Installation
Seattle has a climate that likes to keep you guessing. Mini split systems are the answer a lot of Seattle homeowners have landed on -- and for good reason. They heat and cool a space efficiently, they don't require ductwork, they're quiet, and they give you precise control over individual rooms. The bedroom that was always too hot in summer. The home office addition that the central system never quite reached. The finished basement that needs its own climate.
Space Heaters vs. Mini Splits: Knowing Which One You Need
Space heaters are the right answer for rooms that need supplemental heat occasionally, or spaces where permanent installation doesn't make sense. A guest bedroom that only needs heat a few times a year. A workshop that you use on weekends. Mini splits make more sense when the comfort problem is significant and consistent. A room that's genuinely unusable in summer or winter. A garage conversion or addition that has no connection to the central system. The honest answer is that both have their place -- the question is which one matches your situation. We help you figure that out, then install whichever solution makes the most sense.
Have an electrical issue? Let Extreme Handyman Service take a look.
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