Electrical Fault Finding & Repairs
Something keeps tripping, a socket has stopped working, or part of the house has lost power? You don’t need to work out the cause yourself. Tell AJS what’s happening and Alex can investigate the fault, explain what’s behind it and put it right. Fault finding and electrical repairs are available across Redhill, Nutfield, Reigate and surrounding areas of Surrey.
Do you need to know what’s wrong first?
No. Most people ring with a symptom, not a diagnosis. The lights trip when the kettle goes on, one room has no power, a socket has gone dead, or the RCD keeps going off and won’t stay on.
That’s enough to start with. The cause is found by testing, not by guessing, and once it’s found you get a plain explanation of what needs doing and what doesn’t.
Common symptoms
Any of these is worth a call. None of them tells you the cause on its own, which is why the first job is finding it.
Something keeps tripping. A breaker or the RCD goes off when a particular appliance, light or circuit is used, or at random.
Part of the house has lost power. One room, one floor or just the sockets, while everything else still works.
A socket or light has stopped working. A dead socket, lights that flicker, or lights that only work some of the time.
A trip that won’t reset. The RCD or breaker goes straight off again as soon as it’s switched back on.
An appliance that takes the electrics out. A cooker, shower, kettle, washing machine or outside light that trips the RCD.
Burning smells, buzzing or heat at a socket, switch or the fuse box. Stop using it and have it looked at promptly.
Not sure how to describe it? Say what you see and when it happens.
Why the symptom doesn’t tell you the cause
A tripping RCD can be a faulty appliance, a damp outside socket, a damaged cable, or a fault that has been there for years and only shows up when something new is added. A dead socket can be a loose connection, a broken ring circuit, or something further back towards the board. The symptom narrows it down. It doesn’t settle it.
That’s why AJS tests before replacing anything. Swapping parts until the problem stops is expensive, and it often doesn’t fix it.
How fault finding works
You describe what’s happening and when it started. A photo of the fuse box or the socket on WhatsApp helps.
The circuit is isolated and tested to narrow the fault down: which circuit, which part of it, and whether the cause is an appliance, a cable, a connection or the board itself.
You get a plain explanation of what was found and what it needs.
Smaller repairs are usually done on the same visit where the parts are to hand. Anything bigger is quoted before it’s agreed.
The repaired circuit is tested again before it goes back into use.
Testing sometimes shows up other faults that were already there. You’ll be told about them, and they’re separate from the repair you called about.
Faults AJS can investigate and repair
Tripping circuits, breakers and RCDs
Sockets, switches and light fittings that have stopped working
Partial loss of power to a room or a floor
Damaged, overheating or badly connected cables
Outside sockets and garden circuits that trip when it rains
Faulty light fittings, dimmers and pull cords
Mains smoke alarms that keep sounding or need replacing
Cooker, hob and shower connections
Minor repairs and small alterations
When the fault turns out to be the board
Sometimes the tests point at the consumer unit itself: an old board with no RCD protection, or one that’s full and can’t take another circuit. That’s a separate job, explained on the consumer unit upgrades page, and it’s only suggested when the tests show it’s needed.
If you’d rather have the whole installation checked, an EICR is a full inspection and test with a written report. It’s one of the electrical services available.
Out of hours: if the fault can’t wait until working hours, emergency call-out is available. Call 07932 928607.
What customers have said
“Really happy with the service from Alex. Was initially very quick to respond and came round to investigate the issue and provided a temporary solution, before then booking in to come back and fix the issue properly. All very quick, easy and reasonably priced. Would recommend.”
Checkatrade review, lights tripping the RCD, CR3
“Initially I contacted him for fault finding as lights in the old part of the house kept tripping. We found out that the old lighting circuit was using ancient VIR wires which had to be replaced and there was no earth in the circuit. The whole circuit had to be rewired which Alex did with minimal damage to the walls and ceiling.”
Checkatrade review, fault finding and lighting circuit rewire, CR8
“The first time was to find an electrical fault and the second was to replace the fuse box. For both jobs Alex did an excellent job and within the price quoted. He also sent a text the day before to confirm he was still expected.”
Checkatrade review, fault finding then fuse box replacement, RH2
Common questions
Do I need to know what the problem is before I call?
No. Describe what’s happening, when it started and whether anything was added or changed recently. That’s usually enough to plan the visit.
Is it dangerous if the RCD keeps tripping?
An RCD trips because it has detected a fault, so it’s doing its job. Leave the circuit off if it won’t reset, don’t keep forcing it back on, and have the cause found.
Can you fix it on the same visit?
Often, where the fault is a connection, a socket, a switch or a fitting and the parts are to hand. Larger repairs, a new circuit or a new board are quoted first.
Do you repair appliances?
No. AJS repairs the fixed wiring, sockets, switches, lights and the fuse box. If the tests show an appliance is at fault, you’ll be told which one, so you can have it repaired or replaced.
Will the repair be tested?
Yes. The circuit is tested before it goes back into use, and you’ll be told if the tests showed anything else worth knowing about.
Tell us what’s happening
What’s tripping or not working, when it started, and whether anything was added or changed recently. You can also send a photo of the fuse box or the socket on WhatsApp. Fault finding and repairs are one of the electrical services available.