Community Chat

[chlema]

So 3 times in the past month my main breaker tripped but could just turn it back on, both times when using one particular outlet.  I figured it wouldn't hurt to have it checked out, maybe just replace the outlet.

Hah.  Not so fast says the electrician.  Seems like the main cable into the house, way up by the roof, has kind of worn down so water trickles down and messes with the breaker.  So instead of replacing the outlet - which is fine by the way, have to replace the cable and add up to code stuff for the tune of just under $7,000.  And here sillie me was thinking it was just a thousand dollars or so job.  Well, it is what it is - sorry QVC, won't be buying anything for a long while.  Good thing I have all the fall decor I need lol.

[Kachina624]

@chlema    I'd get a second opinion on that repair.  Those breakers have a spring in them and if they've tripped repeatedly it weakens the spring and they trip readily and often.  It takes about 30 seconds and just costs the price of the switch to replace one.  You could be getting scammed.

[Mindy D]

@chlema @Get a second opinion or a third. Check licenses and any complaints with your state. 

[Zhills]

Had a similar thing happen to me.  Lights would blink when the wind blew?? 

Had a broken wire running through a tree and when the branches would move, the wire moved, losing the connection!

Get a second opinion.  Electric cables do not just "wear down".  It is rubbing something that has damaged it or has been chewed!

[ScrapHappy]

That has been my story with just about everything in my house.  We've been fixing, remodeling and repairing for 6 years and it's never a straight out fix.  I agree with the other posters.  Always get a second opinion.  I always get at least 3.

[PickyPicky3]

That happened to me in the house where I lived in the 1980s. I put off getting it fixed and then we had a hurricane. I had a waterfall coming out of the circuit breaker box. I called the electric company and they say I had to call the fire department. It cost way over $1000 back then. 

As you said, it is what it is.

[happilyretiredgirl]

@chlema please get a second opinion and also call your electric company, I had a similar problem and it was the main wire to my house which the electric company repaired. 

[chrystaltree]

I'd call the power company first and ask them to lopk at it.  If they agree with electrician, then I'd call another electrician to see if it can be done for less money.  Even $1000 less would be a big help.  

[Marp]

@chlema, in addition to getting a second opinion check with your Homeowner's insurance carrier.  Since the cause is water damage it may be covered.

[new nickname 4]

@chlema , That sounds like a lot of expensive re-wiring.  If you know and trust the electrician certainly you need to get it fixed ASAP.  If this is someone you called from a list of unknowns, then you should get a second opinion but again ASAP.  If it is truly the main cable into your home that is damaged, then you have a fire hazard.

Electric fires are deadly and undetected.  They start in the walls, and you certainly don't want that.  

It does sound like if it's only traceable to one outlet, that it is not as severe as was told to you.  My newer home has many breakers, but simple small voltage outlets are grouped together on one breaker, with another breaker serving other sections of my home.  Thus if all the outlets fail on that breaker, than that's a problem with the breaker, but if only one outlet fails, it is the outlet fault.  Either way, it there is a short in the outlet, that one single outlet could start a fire.

Do you know for a fact that you have old wiring that needs updating?  It sounds like the electrician you had to check out your problem thinks that the entire wiring is old.  Please follow through with estimates and repairs.