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Just Electric
FAQs
Our Bixby Knolls house was built around 2000 with NM-B Romex wiring. Why are the outlets and lights struggling now when we add new appliances?
Your home's electrical system is now 26 years old, and NM-B Romex from that era was designed for a different load profile. Modern kitchens and home offices demand far more concurrent amperage than a 2000-era panel schedule anticipated. This often leads to tripped breakers or voltage drop, signaling that your 150A service may need a capacity review and circuit additions to safely handle today's simultaneous high-draw appliances.
We want to upgrade our electrical panel. What permits are needed from the city, and does the work have to follow the 2023 NEC?
All panel replacements in Bixby require an electrical permit from the Planning and Building Department. The work must be performed by a contractor licensed by the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board and must fully comply with the 2023 NEC, which is the adopted state code. As your master electrician, I handle the permit application, scheduling inspections, and ensuring the installation passes the city's final review.
We live on the rolling prairie near the memorial park. Could the soil or landscape be affecting our home's electrical grounding?
The clay-heavy soils common in our rolling prairie can dry out and crack, compromising the contact of your grounding electrode system. This increases resistance, which is critical for safety during a lightning strike or fault. An electrician should perform a ground resistance test and may need to drive additional grounding rods or use a chemical ground enhancement to meet NEC requirements.
Our lights in Bixby flicker whenever the AC kicks on, and we've had a smart TV fried after a storm. Is this a PSO grid problem or something in our house?
Flickering under load often points to a loose connection in your home's wiring or at the service entrance. However, given PSO's service area and our region's high lightning surge risk, both issues are likely at play. Internal problems need repair by a licensed electrician, while whole-house surge protection installed at your main panel is essential to protect sensitive electronics from grid-borne surges.
We have an old Federal Pacific panel and a 150A service. Is it safe to install a Level 2 EV charger or a new heat pump in our 2000-built home?
A Federal Pacific panel presents a significant safety risk and is not compatible with modern upgrades. These panels are known for failing to trip during overloads, creating a fire hazard. Before adding any high-demand equipment like an EV charger or heat pump, the panel must be replaced with a modern, UL-listed unit, and a full load calculation must be performed on your 150A service to determine if a service upgrade is also required.
How should I prepare my home's electrical system for an Oklahoma ice storm or a summer brownout when everyone's AC is running full blast?
For winter storms, ensure your generator transfer switch is installed and inspected to avoid back-feeding danger to utility workers. During summer peak demand, brownouts cause low voltage that can damage compressor motors. Installing a hardwired surge protector and considering a standby generator will protect your major appliances and provide critical backup power during extended outages in either season.
The lights just went out and I smell something burning from an outlet. How fast can an electrician get to my house near Washington Irving Memorial Park?
For an emergency like a burning smell, which indicates a potential fire hazard, we dispatch immediately from our local shop. Starting from Washington Irving Memorial Park, we use US-64 for the fastest route into Bixby Knolls, typically arriving within that 5-8 minute window. Please turn off the main breaker at your panel if it's safe to do so and call 911 if you see smoke or flames.
Our neighborhood has overhead power lines from a pole to a mast on the house. What specific issues should we watch for with this setup?
Overhead service masts are exposed to high winds, ice accumulation, and tree limb damage. Regularly inspect where the mast meets your roofline for rust, separation, or water infiltration. The service drop wires themselves can sag over time, and the connection at the weatherhead must remain secure. Any damage here is the homeowner's responsibility from the mast inward, and repairs require a permit from the Bixby Planning and Building Department.