Electrical Wiring & Repairs in Silver Spring, MD
When something stops working, or the wiring itself is past its prime, this is where the diagnosis and the fix live.
Wiring and repair work for houses that have been around a while
Wiring and repairs covers the electrical problems that are not about adding something new, but about something that has stopped working or is about to. A circuit goes dead. A breaker will not stay on. Half the house loses power after a storm. A room has flickering lights, a warm switch or a smell you cannot place. Behind each of those is a cause, and finding it takes testing, not guessing.
It also covers the larger question that sits behind a lot of those calls: whether the wiring in the house is still up to the job. Much of the housing around Silver Spring dates from the 1920s through the 1960s, and wiring from those decades was designed for a house with a handful of lights and a radio, not a house with a dozen devices charging at once. When repairs start to stack up, the better answer is often to look at the wiring as a whole.
The three services below sit in this group. Repair and troubleshooting is the everyday work of finding and fixing the failure. Power outage calls are about working out whether the problem is the utility’s or yours. House rewiring is the larger project when the wiring has reached the end of its life.
Wiring and repair services
Electrical Repair & Troubleshooting
Dead circuits, tripping breakers, buzzing outlets: find the cause, then fix it.
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Power Outage & No-Power Electrician
Part of the house dark, or all of it? We work out whether it is the utility or your wiring.
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House Rewiring
Replace worn, undersized or outdated wiring in older Maryland homes.
Learn more →Why Zavala Electric for wiring and repairs
Repair work is where a small company with one owner has an edge. The person who comes to look at the problem is the person who decides how to fix it, and he can tell you plainly when a repair will hold and when it will not.
We explain what we find in plain words and in your language, and we do not turn a small fix into a big job. If a larger fix is the right answer, we show you why.
Wiring & Repairs: common questions
What is the difference between an electrical repair and a rewire?
A repair fixes a specific failure, such as a bad outlet, a failed breaker or a damaged section of cable. A rewire replaces the wiring throughout the house or a large part of it. Repairs are enough when the problems are isolated. A rewire makes sense when the wiring is worn out or unsafe throughout.
How do I know if my wiring is too old?
Signs include two-prong outlets throughout, cloth-covered wire, knob-and-tube wiring, aluminum wiring from the 1960s or 70s, frequent breaker trips and warm outlets or switches. An inspection will tell you what you have.
Should I call you or the utility when the power goes out?
If the whole street is dark, call the utility. If neighbors have power and you do not, or if only part of the house is dead, call us. We help you work out which it is.
Can wiring problems cause a fire?
Yes. Loose connections, overloaded circuits and damaged insulation generate heat, and that is how many electrical fires start. This is why warm outlets, burning smells and repeated breaker trips deserve prompt attention.
Do you take on every kind of electrical repair?
We focus on residential repair. If something is outside what we take on, such as a complex job, we tell you early so you can look for the right person.
Not sure what is wrong? Start with a call
Tell us what you are seeing and we will tell you what we think it is and what it takes to fix.