Considering using my home warranty unless someone here has some advice

[chrislehr]

My garage lights (outside) are not working - already removed and checked the bulbs, and the fixtures connection as well as the exposed cable runs in my attic, and saw nothing disconnected, or anything obvious. Removed the switch as well, all good there best I could tell - no circuits blown either.

 

[ddawg16]

First off, I really doubt the home warranty will cover it. It only covers damage from something sudden....like interiour damage due to a water break. What you have is normal wear and tear....things wear out....most home warranties don't cover that.

Regarding your light problem....sounds like you don't have a volt meter...time to go buy one....it will tupically pay for it's self the first time you troubleshoot a problem.....especially if you are the shotgun type....(replace stuff until it works).

Get a meter....with the switch on, see if your getting voltage to the ballasts....if so, and you know the bulbs are good....time for a new ballasts....

No voltage? Go back to the switch...if nothing there...keep going back until you find where it starts....

On last thing regarding home warranties.....you really need to avoid using them if possible....they keep a data base of that stuff.....if you use it, your in the data base....so the next time you go to get an insurance quote......your claim (whether it was paid or not) shows up....so if you filed a claim for water damage due to a leaking pipe.....some insurance carriers may not want to take you on....why? Because you now may be a mold risk.....in other words....a potential future claim to them....

 

[nate379]

How old is your house? If it's fairly new (within a year or two) I'd call the builder and see what they can do. Some builders have their own warranty as well... like my place is 2 year builder that covers most anything and 20 year structural.

 

[jake00]

wouldn't the builder do the warranty work? Why should it be avoided?

 

[trainer]

First off, I really doubt the home warranty will cover it. It only covers damage from something sudden....like interiour damage due to a water break. What you have is normal wear and tear....things wear out....most home warranties don't cover that.


On last thing regarding home warranties.....you really need to avoid using them if possible....they keep a data base of that stuff.....if you use it, your in the data base....so the next time you go to get an insurance quote......your claim (whether it was paid or not) shows up....so if you filed a claim for water damage due to a leaking pipe.....some insurance carriers may not want to take you on....why? Because you now may be a mold risk.....in other words....a potential future claim to them....

I think your confusing Homeowner's insurance with the home warranty.
This would be like saying if you took your car to the dealer for warranty work, that your auto insurance would go up.

AS far as the electrical problem, first thing I would do is change the switch.
THey are inexpensive, and there are quite a few low quality ones out there now. I bought a box of 10 when i wired my garage. 2 were DOA and one more failed a year later.

 

[chrislehr]

Good advice thusfar - on a related note - who the EFF doesnt label the circuit box. Guess we can shut down all the important **** one day and test each one and label one.

 

[tdkkart]

NONE of the lights work?? The problem is more than likely in the switch or the power to the switch. Get yourself a simple voltage probe and check both terminals on the switch when turned on. If there's nothng there go back to the breaker panel. Could be a loose connection on the breaker.

Lots of electricians do not label the breaker panel, helps them to get call-backs later.
Plus, usually when they install the breakers and wiring it's sometimes hard to know what to call the circuits.

 

[duaneb9729]

its a national electrical code to label the panel, but its up to the electrical inspector to enforce the rules

 

[Mr_fixit]

Maybe there's a second switch ( 3 way) somewhere that you didn't know about... that would be my guess..

 

[ddawg16]

I think your confusing Homeowner's insurance with the home warranty.
This would be like saying if you took your car to the dealer for warranty work, that your auto insurance would go up.

AS far as the electrical problem, first thing I would do is change the switch.
THey are inexpensive, and there are quite a few low quality ones out there now. I bought a box of 10 when i wired my garage. 2 were DOA and one more failed a year later.

Your right trainer......read it too fast.....not used to seeing home owners insurance.....most of us can't afford a new house......

 

[chrislehr]

NONE of the lights work?? The problem is more than likely in the switch or the power to the switch. Get yourself a simple voltage probe and check both terminals on the switch when turned on. If there's nothng there go back to the breaker panel. Could be a loose connection on the breaker.

Lots of electricians do not label the breaker panel, helps them to get call-backs later.
Plus, usually when they install the breakers and wiring it's sometimes hard to know what to call the circuits.

I actually do have a multimeter, just never thought to use it, duuuur.

Will test at the switch shortly. (pun not intended)

 

[chrislehr]

ok - 110V at the switch, regardless of on or off, so the problem exists between the switch and the lamps. No ballasts - these are incadescent. 3-4 switch boxes between the two though Will try switch first.

 

[Steevo]

its a national electrical code to label the panel, but its up to the electrical inspector to enforce the rules

Just because they label it doesn't mean it will be of any use to you, either.
I was trying to figure out which breaker controlled a light switch in my kitchen, which is on the main floor, with the main panel in the garage (house was built in 2007), and finally flipped a breaker in the sub-panel located in the basement, which was lebeled by the builder's electrician as "living room outlets", and lo!, it also powered my kitchen light switch.

 

[nate379]

Mine are labeled on teh wire if you pull the panel off even. Nice when doing work!

The house I lived in Idaho, that was an electrical mess! Turn off all the breakers but the main and stuff still worked in the house

Stuff like... washer, fridge, furnace and some living room outlets on one 15 amp circuit... all of these in separate rooms. Water heater was run on 2 single pole breakers instead of a more normal double pole.