An electrical power surge is a sudden boost of electrical charge on a power line which leads to higher flow of electricity to an electrical outlet on the wall. There are lots of reasons for this. A lightning can cause a power surge on an electrical circuit by millions of volts. Air conditioners, elevators that draw a huge amount of power while getting switched on or off, can also cause power surges. Downed power lines, wiring problems, faulty equipment can also lead to such situations. This might give rise to many questions that are asked to electrical experts online. This article provides answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about such problems:

Power surges at my home are creating problems with my lights. They get dimmed and again turn brighter. The electric company says that the problem is not at their end. How can I resolve this issue?

Apparently the problem seems to be with your main feeder. The fact that all the circuits are affected suggests the possibility of a loose neutral. In case an inside panel is fed by an outside service disconnect, there is a chance of having a problem with either of them. Since there is no problem at the company end, chances are high that the problem lies with the panel and/or the disconnect.

It is better to have an electrician do this job since it would be difficult for you to switch off the power completely on the first panel being fed by the meter. In case no loose connection is found in either panel, it could be a damaged wire between the meter and the panel which is causing the problem.

Can a faulty ground in the house be the reason behind power surges burning up surge suppressors?

Usually a bad neutral connection is the reason behind spikes in voltage. If the surges are occurring everywhere the problem could be with the meter socket, the panel, or the utility connections. If only one or two rooms are affected then the internal wiring could be the culprit. Proper grounding could help to some extent but it will not solve the problem.

A power surge in my house was fixed by the electric company by fixing a loose neutral wire. Though everything else worked fine, my new stove did not. On my filing a claim with them, they denied any responsibility for that. What can be done now?

You have to prove that the damage was caused by the utility company. Otherwise you won't be able to claim anything from them. The better option would be to try and recover the losses through home owners insurance.

Whenever a large appliance like a refrigerator motor is switched on at my home a power surge affects the lights, even which are on a different circuit. How do I fix this problem?

Even if it may not be possible to eliminate the problem entirely you may try to solve it by opening the electric panel and tightening every part inside. After switching the breakers off, tighten the screw that connects to the wire. Once all the wires are tightened, including the white and bare wires on the neutral and ground bars, the breaker should be switched on. Then move on to the next one. All safety precautions should be followed while doing this.

Another way to address this problem is to pull the outlets and switches from the wall and check the wire connections. Check if they are wired by the side screws instead of the small holes at the back. This way the connection will be much better. Also, an electrician should tighten the main wires in the electrical panel and meter base.

The problem of power surge can be controlled in many ways. Installing a surge protector on appliances that draw heavy electricity is one of them. Power sources should not be overloaded and each major appliance should have its own power source. If the problem becomes frequent and if it appears that a particular appliance is causing it then the appliance should be thoroughly checked by an expert. Last but not the least, if you can't identify the source of power surge you should ask an electrician to carry out a thorough check of the entire electrical system.