Buying a house comes with surprises, and hidden electrical problems are among the hardest, because they surface one at a time as the house is lived in. That was Jerry H.’s experience in Suffolk soon after he moved into an older home, and what began as a single repair became an ongoing relationship with one electrician at Russell’s American Mechanical. His account is useful for anyone who has just bought a house and is finding what the inspection did not.
The problems that kept surfacing
After buying his home, Jerry found more electrical problems than he expected. Some he could handle himself, and others called for a licensed electrician, and as new issues kept appearing over the following weeks, he realized he needed a company he could rely on for more than a single visit.
Why he called Russell’s
Jerry’s first call to Russell’s had not been for electrical repairs at all. It had been for a whole-home generator, and the work impressed him. When an electrical problem came up later, he called the same company because its team had already shown him its professionalism and skill. Russell’s electricians are trained continuously throughout their employment, and Jerry noticed it in the quality of the service.
One visit at a time
Master electrician Duane H. became Jerry’s regular contact. Over several visits, Duane fixed each problem as it came up and took the time to explain what he was doing and why. On one occasion Jerry spent three days trying to solve a problem himself before conceding that he was in over his head; he called Russell’s at ten in the morning and had a technician at his door that afternoon, and Duane solved the main problem and found and fixed a related one before it grew.
The problem today had festered and frustrated me for 3 days as I attempted to fix it myself. I finally realized I was in over my head at 10 this morning and called. Duane showed up about 3 pm. He took care of the problem and even fixed some related issues that would have become problems. Five stars.
Jerry H., Suffolk homeowner
Jerry also wrote that when he calls Russell’s, a person answers the phone and arranges help rather than sending him to voicemail, which for someone still discovering problems in a new home makes each discovery less stressful.
Why the same electrician matters
Electrical problems in an older or newly purchased home rarely appear all at once. They surface over weeks and months as different circuits and fixtures are used under ordinary conditions, and each one looks unrelated to the last. Jerry’s account shows the value of the same electrician across those visits: Duane came to know the particular quirks of Jerry’s house, which meant a faster diagnosis and fewer surprises each time he returned. That is a different thing from calling a different company for each problem, and it is one reason Russell’s keeps a home’s service history in one place, so that the technician who arrives for the fifth problem knows about the first four.
The older home in Suffolk
Jerry’s house is not unusual for the region. Older homes across Suffolk, Norfolk, and Portsmouth were wired for a life with far fewer appliances, and the ones near the water carry the salt air’s corrosion in their outdoor connections and, sometimes, their panels. A home inspection confirms the system worked on one day and does not open the panel or trace every circuit, which is why the problems surface afterward. An electrical inspection in the first months of ownership finds many of them at once, and a panel upgrade is often part of the answer for a house that has outgrown its service. Our post on how often an electrical system should be checked covers the schedule that follows.
If you are facing something similar
Russell’s American Mechanical has served Hampton Roads since 1977. If you have just bought a home and are finding electrical problems the inspection did not, or one repair has led to another, schedule an inspection online, through the website chat, or by phone, and a licensed electrician will work through the house step by step, explaining each finding and presenting the price at everyday pricing before any work. Same-day appointments are available by phone when the day allows, and members of the Premium Home Care Agreement receive an annual electrical inspection as part of the plan.
