Residential Troubleshooting & Repair
Electrical Repair
in Vancouver, WA
The lights flicker every time the AC kicks on. Half your outlets went dead after a storm. A breaker keeps tripping and you've reset it four times this week. Newman Electric troubleshoots and fixes residential electrical problems across Vancouver and Clark County. Ryan or one of the crew will figure out what's going on and tell you exactly what it'll take to fix it.
Warning Signs
When to Call for Electrical Repair
Most electrical problems give you warning signs before they get serious. If you're noticing any of these, it's time to call Newman Electric for an electrical repair in Vancouver, WA.
Breakers keep tripping
If the same breaker trips repeatedly, it's overloaded or there's a fault somewhere on the circuit. Resetting it over and over doesn't fix the problem. Newman Electric will trace the circuit, find the cause, and repair it.
Outlets stopped working
Dead outlets often mean a tripped GFCI somewhere else in the chain, a loose connection at the outlet or in the box, or a tripped breaker. Sometimes it's simple. Sometimes there's a wiring issue behind the wall. Either way, we'll find it.
Lights flicker or dim
Flickering when a large appliance kicks on (AC, dryer, microwave) usually points to a circuit that's sharing too much load. Flickering for no apparent reason could be a loose connection, which is a fire risk.
Burning smell or warm outlets
If you smell something burning near an outlet or switch, or if the cover plate feels warm, stop using that outlet and call us. This is an electrical repair that shouldn't wait. Warm connections mean something is arcing or overheating.
Sparking when you plug something in
A brief spark when plugging in is normal. A loud pop, visible arcing, or a spark that leaves a mark on the outlet is not. That outlet needs to be pulled and inspected. The contacts may be worn, or there's a wiring issue inside the box.
Two-prong outlets with no ground
Older homes in Vancouver WA have two-prong outlets that lack a ground wire. This isn't an emergency, but it means your electronics and appliances aren't protected from surges or faults. We can add grounding or install GFCI protection.
Our Approach
How Newman Electric
Diagnoses a Problem
Newman Electric has diagnosed hundreds of electrical problems in homes across Vancouver WA. Ryan, the owner, still works repair calls himself. We don't guess. We test, trace, and confirm before we touch anything.
We ask you what's going on
You know your house better than we do. When did it start? What were you running when it happened? Which rooms are affected? That conversation saves time and usually points us right to the problem.
Test and trace the circuit
We use meters, circuit tracers, and thermal imaging to find the fault. Could be a loose connection in a junction box, a damaged wire in the wall, a failing breaker, or a bad outlet. We check until we find it.
Explain what we found and what it costs
Before we do any electrical repair work, you'll know exactly what's wrong and what the fix costs. If it's a $50 fix, we'll tell you. If the wiring in that wall needs to come out and be replaced, we'll tell you that too. No surprises.
Fix it right
We make the repair to code, test everything, and clean up. If the fix required permit-level work (new wiring, circuit modification), we handle the permit and inspection. You don't have to think about it.
Electrical Repair Services
Repairs Newman Electric
Handles Every Week
If your electrical problem isn't on this list, call anyway. Newman Electric has seen just about everything in homes across the Vancouver, WA area. We've probably fixed the same thing in your neighbor's house.
Customer Reviews
Real Electrical Repair Calls, Real Results
"Came home at 3pm on a Thursday to discover I had some confounding sort of electrical issue. I couldn't figure it out and called Newman at 3:35. By 4:30 they were leaving having diagnosed the issue and replaced two breakers and GFCI outlets. A+ job."
"I explained to them that my 'waterfall pond switch' and a 'light switch' were not working. After testing the old switches both Ryan and Anthony agreed that the switches should be replaced. Ryan told me he could go to Hm Depot for the parts that were needed and return in 45 minutes. 45 minutes later, Ryan and Anthony returned with the parts in hand."
"I called Newman Electric about power to our bathroom outlets not working. They were in our neighborhood, North Image, and said we will be there in 15 MINUTES!! They diagnosed the problem (an outside GFCI outlet was tripped when our siding was washed) and put everything back together."
Common Questions
Electrical Repair FAQs
It depends on what's wrong. A breaker swap or outlet replacement is on the lower end. Tracing a wiring fault through walls or replacing a damaged circuit costs more. Newman Electric charges a diagnostic fee that gets applied to the repair if you move forward. We'll tell you the cost before any work starts.
You can replace a light switch or a standard outlet if you're comfortable turning off the breaker and working carefully. But anything beyond that, tracing faults, replacing breakers, running new wire, working inside the panel, that requires a licensed electrician and often a permit in Washington state. It's not worth the risk. If you're not sure, just call us.
For emergencies (no power, burning smell, sparking), we do same-day calls. Ryan has turned his truck around on the way home to handle urgent calls. For non-emergency electrical repair in Vancouver WA, we usually schedule within a few days. Call 360-828-7143 and we'll tell you what's available.
Three common causes: the circuit is overloaded (too many things drawing power at once), there's a short circuit somewhere on the wiring, or the breaker itself has gone bad. An overloaded circuit is the most common. If the breaker trips every time you run a specific appliance, that appliance might need its own dedicated circuit.
Simple repairs like replacing an outlet, switch, or breaker with the same-rated replacement don't need a permit. If the repair involves running new wire, adding a circuit, or modifying the panel, it does. Washington state requires permits for any new branch circuit or panel modification. Newman Electric handles the permit when it's needed.
Stop using that outlet immediately. Turn off the breaker for that circuit if you know which one it is. Don't plug anything into it. Call Newman Electric or another licensed electrician. A burning smell near an outlet usually means a connection is arcing or overheating, which is a fire risk. This kind of electrical repair should happen the same day you notice it.
Related Services
Problems That Go Beyond a Quick Fix
Electrical Panel Upgrade
Old panel causing repeated breaker issues
Whole House Rewiring
Aging wiring that keeps causing faults
Surge Protection
Protect devices from voltage spikes
Dedicated Circuits
Stop overloading shared circuits
Outlet Installation
Replace worn outlets or add new ones
Smoke Detectors
Hardwired smoke and CO detectors
Aluminum Wiring
Replace hazardous aluminum wiring
Electrical Inspection
Full home electrical safety check
Service Area
Electrical Repair Across
Vancouver & Clark County
Newman Electric gets electrical repair calls from every part of the Vancouver, WA area. Tripped breakers in Hazel Dell. Dead outlets in Salmon Creek. Flickering lights in older Camas homes. Wiring problems in Battle Ground ranches from the 1970s. We know what to expect because we've been in these houses before.
We also cover Cowlitz County for electrical repair work. Longview, Kelso, Woodland, Kalama. Same crew, same diagnostic process, same straight-up pricing.
Got an Electrical Problem?
We'll Find It and Fix It.
Newman Electric handles electrical repair in Vancouver, WA every single week. Breakers, outlets, switches, wiring. Whatever is going wrong, call us and we'll get it sorted. Free estimates on all repair work.