Devices and circuits
Outlets, switches and GFCI protection
Small jobs, done properly. A dead outlet is often the visible end of a problem that starts somewhere upstream in the circuit.
Why an outlet goes dead
Rarely the outlet itself. The usual causes, in order: a tripped GFCI somewhere else on the circuit, a failed back-stab connection on a device upstream, a loose neutral in a junction box, and a break in the cable run. Replacing the dead receptacle without testing the circuit is how a problem gets buried for another two years.
GFCI protection
Ground-fault protection is required in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas, garages, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, outdoors and near sinks. In older houses it is frequently missing entirely or installed in a way that protects the wrong devices. We test the whole circuit and make sure the protection sits where it actually covers what it needs to.
AFCI protection
Arc-fault protection addresses a different hazard: arcing in damaged or degraded wiring rather than current leaking to ground. Current code requires it in most living areas of new work. Retrofitting it into older wiring sometimes reveals existing faults that had gone unnoticed, which is uncomfortable but useful.
Kitchen and bath circuits
Kitchens need dedicated small-appliance circuits, a separate circuit for the dishwasher and disposal, and often one for the microwave. A house that keeps tripping when the toaster and kettle run together does not have a device problem; it has one circuit doing the work of three. Bathrooms similarly need their own protected circuit.
Two-prong receptacles
If a receptacle has two slots, the circuit almost certainly has no equipment ground. Installing a three-prong device on it creates a false expectation of protection. The correct options are a new circuit, an added grounding conductor, or GFCI protection with the required labeling. See home rewiring for the fuller picture.
Device work we handle
- Dead or intermittent receptacles
- New outlets in rooms that are short of them
- GFCI and AFCI protection
- Kitchen and bathroom dedicated circuits
- Dimmers, timers and multi-way switches
- Weather-rated exterior receptacles
- USB and combination devices
What we find behind small device calls
Failed back-stab terminations
Push-in connections loosen over time. We terminate on screws, which is why the repair holds.
Daisy-chained circuits
One original circuit extended repeatedly by previous owners until nothing has margin.
Missing ground
Three-prong devices on ungrounded circuits, which look modern and protect nothing.
Overloaded kitchen counters
Two receptacles on one shared circuit running every countertop appliance in the house.
Outdoor devices full of water
Non-weather-rated covers on exterior walls. Replacement with the correct in-use cover and GFCI protection.
Reversed polarity
Hot and neutral swapped at a device, common after unpermitted work, and simple to correct once found.
How the work goes
Test the circuit
We identify the circuit, check protection devices and test each outlet on the run rather than only the one you reported.
Find the actual fault
Open the suspect boxes, check terminations and continuity, and locate the break or the loose connection.
Repair and verify
Correct terminations, replace failed devices, add protection where it is required, then retest the full circuit.
Tell you what else we saw
If the circuit is overloaded or ungrounded, you will hear that, with what it would take to fix it.
Questions about outlets and switches
My GFCI will not reset. What now?
If it will not hold with everything on that circuit unplugged, either the device has failed or there is a genuine ground fault in the wiring. Both need diagnosis. If it holds with things unplugged, plug items back one at a time to find the culprit.
Can you add an outlet where there is none?
Usually yes. Difficulty depends on what is on the other side of the wall and whether an existing circuit has capacity. Where it does not, a new circuit from the panel is the answer.
Is it worth replacing old outlets that still work?
If they no longer grip a plug, are painted over, are cracked, or are two-prong, yes. A loose receptacle is a heat problem waiting to happen.
Do you install USB and smart outlets?
Yes. Worth noting that smart devices with no neutral at the switch box need specific models, which we check before ordering.
Where we do this work
Available in West Adams, Mid-City, Culver City, Baldwin Hills and Crenshaw, Inglewood, and Palms and Mar Vista. See the full service area list.
Related services
Device faults regularly indicate wider branch circuit or panel issues.
Dead outlet or failing switch?
Call (213) 584-4180. Small repairs are often same-day work.