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Frequently Asked Questions
What's involved in getting a permit for an electrical panel upgrade in Clark County?
Clark County Community Development requires a permit for any service panel replacement or upgrade. As a Washington L&I-licensed master electrician, I handle the entire process: filing the permit, performing the work to NEC 2023 standards, and scheduling the required inspections. This ensures the upgrade is documented, safe, and adds value to your home without any compliance headaches for you.
I smell burning from an outlet and lost power in my kitchen. How quickly can an electrician get here?
For an active electrical fire hazard, we treat it as an immediate dispatch. From the Brush Prairie General Store, we're just minutes up WA-503 into the Highlands. Our priority is isolating the fault to prevent fire spread before restoring safe power to your kitchen circuits.
I see the overhead power lines on my property. What maintenance am I responsible for versus the utility?
Clark Public Utilities owns and maintains the overhead lines up to the point of connection at your service mast, or weatherhead. You, the homeowner, are responsible for the mast itself, the meter socket enclosure, and all wiring from there into your main panel. Ensuring this mast and its attachments are structurally sound against our winter weather is a key homeowner duty.
I have an old Federal Pacific panel. Can I add a Level 2 EV charger or a new heat pump to my 1975 home?
With a Federal Pacific panel, adding major loads is not advisable due to the panel's known failure to trip during overloads, a significant fire risk. Your existing 100-amp service also lacks the capacity for a heat pump or 240-volt EV charger. The necessary first step is a full service upgrade to a modern, safety-certified panel with at least 200 amps.
How should I prepare my home's electrical system for winter ice storms and brownouts?
Winter heating surges and extended outages are a real concern here. Begin with a load calculation to ensure your system isn't already at peak capacity. Installing a generator inlet with an interlock kit on your panel is the safest way to provide backup power. Also, verify all exterior service mast connections are secure against ice load to prevent a physical service drop failure.
My 50-year-old Brush Prairie home has original wiring. Why do the lights dim when the microwave and air conditioner run?
Homes in Brush Prairie Highlands from 1975 were wired with NM-B Romex for the needs of that era. The 100-amp service panel and 15-amp branch circuits common then are now strained by today's high-draw appliances. This voltage drop, causing dimming lights, is a clear sign your system is overloaded and needs a professional assessment for a capacity upgrade.
Could the heavy tree canopy around my property be causing electrical problems?
Absolutely. The dense tree canopy common in Brush Prairie can cause issues in two ways: limbs contacting overhead service drops create faults and surges, and the moist, often rocky soil can degrade your grounding electrode system's effectiveness. We recommend annual visual checks of the line from the utility pole to your mast and periodic testing of your home's ground resistance.
My lights flicker and my smart devices reset during windstorms. Is this a Clark Public Utilities issue or my home's wiring?
This is often a combination. Clark Public Utilities' overhead lines in our moderate surge risk area can experience momentary faults from wind and tree contact. However, your home's internal wiring and grounding system must be sound to manage these disturbances. Proper whole-house surge protection at the main panel is critical to shield your 2026 electronics from damaging voltage spikes.
