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Ochoa Electric Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More About Ochoa Electric

Have a question? We have the answer. Check out these FAQs and give us a call today for more information!

  • What happens if my power is out?

    If your power is out, check the circuit breakers and reset any breaker that is in the middle by pushing it back fully and then back on. You can also check the GFCI outlets. These have buttons in the center of the outlet and you can push the reset one. Lastly, check with SDGE. Sometimes they have outages and these can last a few hours. If all else fails, contact your local electrician in San Diego, CA.

  • What sets Ochoa Electric apart from the competition?

    We have friendly, courteous, and respectful technicians. Additionally, we have 25+ years of experience, teaching, and field experience. For a qualified and reputable local electrician in San Diego, CA, give us a call today.

  • What happens if my lights flicker?

    There are a few reasons your lights may be flickering:

    1.  You have a loose wire in the system circuit
    2.  You can have a bad breaker
    3. You can have bad ground wiring in the panel

    There are a few other possibilities, but if you're unsure, please call us as your local electrician in San Diego, CA and we can help. 

  • Does Ochoa Electric offer any warranties for their work?

    Yes! We offer a 1 year warranty on new electrical installations. For a quality residential electrician in San Diego, CA, give us a call today.

  • What should I do to prepare for my service?

    There are a few things you can do to prepare for your service:

    1. Understand where the problem is
    2. Make sure you have access to the main panel or subpanel before we arrive
    3. Have a clear path to the service area

    Should you need a residential electrician in San Diego, CA, be sure to get in touch with us.

  • What happens if my breaker keeps tripping?

    If your breaker keeps tripping, this can mean a few things:

    1. Your breakers are old and outdated like Zinsco, PFE, and Pushamatics. We can still replace them. 
    2. The appliance on that circuit has too much current for that breaker size. Check the amp draw on all appliances used on that breaker circuit and calculate the total amps used. It may exceed the total amp draw. 
    3. Your appliance is bad and it may have shorted out.

    Should you need a residential electrician in San Diego, CA to resolve these issues, be sure to get in touch with us.

  • Do I need to rewire my home?

    No. In most cases, old knob and tube wire still exist today and are okay. However, we do recommend replacing it before you insulate the walls and attic. 


    Houses built between 1900 and 1950 have cloth wire wrapping and it's like a shirt with a loose thread - when you pull on it, the thread keeps unraveling until you see copper. This is unsafe. Should you need a residential electrician in San Diego, CA to update your wiring, be sure to get in touch with us.

  • Do I need to upgrade my electrical panel?

    This is not always necessary. First, ask yourself these questions:

    1. Have you done a load calculation yet to see what your total amp draw is? 
    2. Are you getting a new air conditioning unit? 
    3. Are you getting a new hot tub? 
    4. Are you building an ADU? 
    5. Is this panel old or does it have holes in the metal or is it close to the ocean? 

    These are the factors we look at before replacing an electrical panel. It's best we look at it and assess the situation properly as you may only need a tune-up done. Contact us today for a quality residential electrician in San Diego, CA. 

  • Should I get an electrical tune-up instead of a new power panel?

    In some cases, you can’t do a new panel replacement because of HOA or other factors, but we can do a panel tune-up. A panel tune-up consists of removing the old breakers, installing new breakers as needed, checking the wire, and making sure they're in good shape.


    We also clean up the busbar as this is what the breakers are holding on to and it can be pitted or damaged. Lastly, we'll check to see if the breakers are mismatched to the actual panel type. Contact us today for a quality residential electrician in San Diego, CA to handle your electrical tune-up, panel replacement, or more.

  • When adding new circuits, will you need to open the walls?

    Not always. If you are adding an outlet up to 5' from side to side, you will need to open the wall in order to penetrate the studs, patching is needed. We usually recommend you get someone esle to do this as we don't specialize in this field. If you are adding a switch to the wall for a ceiling light or fan, you will need to have a couple of holes in the drywall, Again we recommend a professional drywaller to patch the holes. 

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