Licensed Electrician in Dover, NH | Residential and Commercial Electrical Services

A breaker trips when the circuit draws more current than it was designed to handle, or when it detects a fault. If a breaker trips once and resets without issue, the circuit was temporarily overloaded. But if the same breaker trips repeatedly, you have a bigger problem on your hands. Turn off and unplug everything on the circuit and reset the breaker. Then reconnect your devices one at a time to isolate the cause.

If the breaker trips immediately with nothing connected, or if you see scorch marks, hear buzzing, or smell burning plastic, shut off the main breaker and call us. Those are signs of dangerous faults. Do not force a breaker back on or tape it in position. From our work in Dover homes, we find that space heaters are the most common cause of winter heating issues. Each 1,500-watt space heater draws 12.5 amps on a 15-amp bedroom circuit. Add a lamp, a phone charger, and a television, and you are over capacity before the heater has been running for an hour.

Dover requires electrical permits for panel upgrades, service entrance changes, new circuit installations, major rewiring, generator installations, and EV charging station installation. Permits are issued through the Dover Building Inspection Department at 288 Central Avenue. After the work is completed, a licensed electrical inspector reviews the installation to confirm it meets New Hampshire's adoption of the 2015 National Electrical Code. We handle the permit application and coordinate the inspection process for every job. Permit requirements exist to protect you. Unpermitted electrical work creates safety risks, complicates homeowner's insurance claims, and causes problems when you sell your home. Dover homeowner tip: Replacing an existing outlet or light fixture in kind typically does not require a permit. Any new circuits, panel work, or service changes do.

Most Dover homes built before 2000 have 100-amp electrical panels. Modern homes need 200 amps to handle central air conditioning, electric heat, kitchen appliances, home offices, and EV charging stations simultaneously. U.S. Census data shows half of Dover's housing stock was built in 1975 or earlier, meaning thousands of local homes are running on panels that were never designed for today's electrical load. Some signs your panel needs upgrading include:

• Breakers that trip frequently
• Lights that dim when large appliances start
• Outlets that feel warm to the touch
• A panel that hums or buzzes
• Scorch marks around breakers

If you still have glass fuse holders instead of circuit breakers, your panel predates 1960 and needs immediate replacement. If you are adding an EV charging station, finishing a basement, or upgrading HVAC equipment, your existing panel may not have the capacity. We perform a load calculation to determine exactly what your system handles before recommending an upgrade. A 200-amp panel upgrade typically requires a permit, a planned power outage of four to eight hours, and a final inspection by Dover Building Inspection.

Installing a Level 2 EV charging station requires a dedicated 240-volt circuit, typically 40 to 50 amps, depending on your charger model. That is the same voltage as your electric dryer or range, but on its own dedicated circuit with no shared loads. We run appropriately sized wiring from your electrical panel to the charger location in your garage or on an exterior wall. We'll install the charging unit, and obtain the required permit from Dover Building Inspection.

If your home has a 100-amp panel, adding a 40 to 50-amp EV charging station circuit will often exceed your panel capacity, and a panel upgrade to 200-amps is required. We perform a load calculation for every EV charger job to confirm whether your existing panel can safely handle the additional load. According to Alliance for Automotive Innovation data, EV registrations in New Hampshire grew over 40 percent annually from 2021 to 2023. This makes EV chargers a common addition to many homes. We advise you budget for both the EV charging station installation and a potential panel upgrade. A straightforward charger installation takes four to eight hours. A panel upgrade adds another full day, plus permit and inspection time.

Generator installation in Dover involves several coordinated steps. We start with a load assessment to determine which circuits you need to power during an outage and size the generator accordingly. A whole-home standby generator typically requires 10,000 to 22,000 watts. We then install a transfer switch at your electrical panel. The transfer switch is the critical safety component: it isolates your home's electrical system from the utility grid when the generator is running. This prevents dangerous backfeeding that could put Eversource line workers at risk. After the electrical work is complete, a gas contractor connects the natural gas or propane fuel line.

Dover Building Inspection requires both an electrical permit and a gas permit for the installation of a standby generator. The final inspection covers the transfer switch wiring, generator placement, fuel line connection, and automatic start function. Portable generators follow a similar permit process when connected through a transfer switch. From our experience in Strafford County, generator demand spikes after every major storm. The December 2022 ice storm that knocked out power across the New Hampshire seacoast for days created a backlog of installation requests that lasted months. Schedule your generator installation before storm season to avoid the wait.

We provide residential and commercial lighting installation in Dover and throughout Strafford County. For interior work, we install recessed lighting, LED retrofit fixtures, under-cabinet lighting, track lighting, chandeliers, ceiling fans with integrated lights, and dimmer controls. Recessed can spacing depends on the ceiling height. For an eight-foot ceiling, cans are placed four feet apart. For exterior work, we install porch lighting, soffit lighting, motion-activated security lighting, pathway lighting, and post lights. Outdoor lighting circuits require weatherproof boxes and GFCI protection per the National Electrical Code.

We also install whole-home lighting controls and smart lighting systems that integrate with your phone or home automation platform. LED lighting upgrades are among the most cost-effective electrical improvements for a Dover home. New Hampshire electricity rates average $0.24 to $0.28 per kilowatt-hour, among the highest in the continental United States according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Replacing incandescent fixtures with LED lighting cuts lighting energy use by 75 percent or more. We assess your current lighting, recommend the right fixture and bulb combinations, and handle the full installation.

The installation itself takes four to eight hours. Your power will be off during that window, so plan accordingly. The full process from assessment to restored power takes 10 to 14 days on average. We perform the load calculation and provide your quote. We'll submit the permit application to Dover Building Inspection and coordinate with Eversource Energy to schedule a meter disconnect. We'll complete the panel installation and schedule the final inspection.

After Dover Building Inspection approves the work, Eversource reconnects your service. We will walk you through the full timeline before we schedule anything, so there are no surprises. Make sure to charge your devices, run the dishwasher, and do any laundry the day before your scheduled panel upgrade to minimize disruption during the service. If your home has aluminum wiring, a subpanel, or requires service entrance modifications, the installation takes longer, and we will tell you that upfront.

A buzzing, humming, or sizzling sound from your electrical panel indicates a loose connection, a failing breaker, or an overloaded circuit. Loose connections generate heat. Heat degrades wire insulation. Degraded insulation leads to arcing and fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, electrical distribution equipment, including panels and breakers, accounts for an estimated 10 percent of home electrical fires each year. If you hear buzzing from your panel, identify which breaker is making the noise, shut off that breaker, and call us the same day. Do not wait.

In Dover homes built between 1950 and 1980, buzzing often comes from Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok panels or Zinsco panels. Both brands have documented breaker failure rates. Federal Pacific Electric breakers fail to trip under overload conditions at rates that multiple independent studies found unacceptable. Zinsco breakers are prone to melting and fusing in the on position. If your panel carries either of these brand names, replacement is the right call regardless of whether you currently hear buzzing.

Flickering lights have several causes, and the pattern tells you a lot about the source. If a single light flickers, the bulb is loose or failing, or the fixture has a poor connection. If multiple lights on one circuit flicker, there is a loose connection at an outlet, a switch, or in the panel that affects that circuit. If lights throughout your home flicker when large appliances start, you have an undersized panel, a problem with your service entrance, or a utility-side issue. Occasional flickering when your AC compressor or heat pump starts is common in older Dover homes and indicates your system is running near its capacity limit.

Sustained or frequent whole-home flickering is an issue that requires a professional. Loose connections create heat and fire risk. In Dover homes built between 1965 and 1973, flickering lights often point to aluminum wiring. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper with temperature changes, causing connections to loosen over time. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that homes with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to reach fire-hazard conditions at outlets. If your home dates from that period and you experience flickering, schedule an electrical inspection.

Call an emergency electrician immediately if you experience any of these situations. A panel that smokes, sparks, or smells like burning plastic. An electrical shock from an outlet or appliance. Buzzing, sizzling, or crackling sounds from outlets or the panel. Scorch marks, melted plastic, or discoloration around outlets or breakers. A breaker that trips instantly every time you reset it. A tingling sensation when you touch appliances or plumbing. These are signs of dangerous electrical faults that create fire and shock hazards.

If you experience any of these, shut off the main breaker if it is safe to approach. Evacuate if you see smoke or flames. If someone receives a severe electrical shock, call 911 before you call us. Never force a breaker back on, tape it in position, or swap it for a higher-amp breaker to stop the tripping. The breaker is protecting you. Removing that protection creates immediate danger. We offer 24/7 emergency electrical service in Dover because electrical emergencies do not wait for business hours.

GFCI outlets protect you from electrocution by detecting ground faults and cutting power in milliseconds. The National Electrical Code requires GFCI protection in bathrooms, kitchens within six feet of a sink, garages, unfinished basements, crawl spaces, and all outdoor outlets. Those requirements were added in phases: outdoor outlets in 1971, bathrooms in 1975, garages and kitchens in the 1980s, and expanded locations through the 1990s and 2000s. Most Dover homes built before 1990 lack GFCI protection in at least some required locations.

Water and electricity together create lethal conditions. A ground fault in a bathroom or kitchen without GFCI protection delivers a shock that causes cardiac arrest. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that GFCI outlets prevent approximately 70 percent of electrocutions that would otherwise occur in homes. Test your GFCI outlets monthly by pressing the TEST button. The outlet should click off. Press RESET to restore power. If it does not respond correctly, the GFCI has failed and needs to be replaced. We retrofit GFCI protection in older Dover homes and replace failed units throughout Strafford County.

Dover and the New Hampshire seacoast experience frequent utility switching events, nor'easters, and summer thunderstorms. These events send voltage spikes through your electrical service. A single surge from a lightning strike or utility fault can damage every connected device in your home simultaneously. Power strips with built-in surge protection guard individual outlets, but do nothing for hardwired appliances like your HVAC system, electric range, water heater, or EV charging station. Whole-home surge protection installs at your electrical panel and intercepts surges before they reach any circuit in your home. It works alongside point-of-use surge protectors for a layered defense.

A panel-mounted surge protector handles surges entering from the utility side. Point-of-use strips handle smaller transient surges generated inside your home by motors and compressors cycling on and off. We install whole-home surge protection as a standalone service or as part of a panel upgrade. For Dover homes with EV charging stations, smart home systems, or home office equipment, surge protection is a practical safeguard. Especially given New Hampshire's electricity rates and the cost of replacing damaged electronics.

Aluminum wiring was standard in homes built between 1965 and 1973, which includes many Dover homes in neighborhoods like Sixth Street, Garrison Hill, and the Route 108 corridor. Aluminum itself is not the problem. The problem is that aluminum expands and contracts more than copper with temperature changes, causing connections at outlets, switches, and breakers to loosen over time. Loose connections generate heat. Heat degrades insulation. That sequence leads to electrical fires. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that homes with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to reach fire-hazard conditions at outlets than homes with copper wiring. Signs of aluminum wiring problems include:

• Warm outlet cover plates
• Flickering lights
• A burning smell near outlets
• Outlets that stop working without a tripped breaker

You have two remediation options. The first is complete rewiring with copper, which eliminates the issue entirely. The second is COPALUM crimping, a method developed by AMP Inc. in which a copper pigtail is crimped to each aluminum wire end using a specialized tool and connector. Both approaches require a licensed electrician. If you are buying a home in Dover built between 1965 and 1973, request an electrical inspection before closing. Many insurance carriers charge higher premiums or decline coverage for homes with unremediated aluminum wiring.

New Hampshire adopted the 2015 National Electrical Code statewide, administered locally by the Dover Building Inspection Department. Your existing electrical system was installed under the code in effect at the time of construction and stays under the original code unless you do new work. When you renovate or add to your home, the new work must meet the 2015 NEC. That means new circuits in bedrooms and living areas require AFCI protection. New circuits in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor locations require GFCI protection. All new wiring must be properly sized and grounded. Any new panel installation must be fully code-compliant.

You are not required to bring your entire home up to current code unless you are doing a major renovation, but any new work triggers current standards. For example, if we replace your panel, the new panel and all its connections meet 2015 NEC requirements. Your existing outlet and switch wiring remain legal under the code under which it was installed. Dover homes built before 1975 commonly have ungrounded two-prong outlets, no GFCI protection, and no AFCI breakers. Those conditions are legal under grandfather provisions but create real safety risks. We assess your system during every electrical safety inspection and recommend prioritized upgrades based on what poses the greatest risk.

Dover and Strafford County get nor'easters, ice storms, and extended cold snaps that put real stress on residential electrical systems. Before winter, test every smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector. Replace batteries when you change the clocks for daylight saving time. Inspect outdoor outlets and exterior lighting for moisture damage or cracked covers from the previous winter. Water intrusion into outdoor boxes causes ground faults and corrosion that show up mid-storm when you need those circuits most. If you use space heaters, plug them directly into wall outlets only. Never use an extension cord or a power strip with a space heater.

A 1,500-watt heater draws 12.5 amps. Most bedroom circuits run on 15-amp circuits. Add one more device, and you are at the trip threshold. If you have a generator, run it for 20 minutes before storm season to confirm it starts and runs clean. Check the oil level and fuel supply. Confirm your transfer switch operates correctly. In Dover homes with electric baseboard heat, winter is when undersized panels show their limits. If your lights dim when the heat cycles on, or breakers trip on cold mornings, your panel is not keeping up with your load. Schedule a load calculation before the heating season starts.

Mr. Electric of Southeast NH provides residential electrical services and commercial electrical services throughout Dover, Rochester, Durham, Somersworth, Barrington, and Strafford County. Every service comes with upfront flat-rate pricing and the Neighborly Done Right Promise. Mr. Electric of Southeast NH is a locally owned and operated franchise, part of a brand founded in 1994 with nearly 200 locations nationwide. Our certified electricians handle the following work:

• Electrical panel upgrades and replacements
• Subpanel installations
• Dedicated circuit installations
• Outlet and switch repairs and replacements, including GFCI outlets, AFCI breakers, USB outlets, and tamper-resistant outlets
• Whole-home surge protection
• Electrical wiring upgrades and full rewiring, including knob-and-tube removal and aluminum wiring remediation
• Ceiling fan and light fixture installations
• Recessed lighting, LED lighting upgrades, outdoor lighting, and pathway lighting
• Smart home wiring and device integration
• EV charging station installation with load calculations and panel assessments
• Generator installation and transfer switch wiring
• Smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector installations
• Electrical safety inspections with written reports, code compliance updates
• Emergency electrical repairs

The Neighborly Done Right Promise^® is a guarantee that backs every job we complete: if the work is not done right, we make it right. Period. Mr. Electric is part of Neighborly, the world's largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,500 franchises. Every Neighborly brand operates under a shared Code of Values built around respect, integrity, and customer focus. As a locally owned and operated franchise, we live and work in the Dover community.

All our electricians are licensed, insured, and background-checked. We explain what needs to happen before we start, provide a clear flat-rate quote with no hidden fees, wear shoe covers to protect your floors, and clean up completely after every job. The Neighborly Done Right Promise^® means you have real recourse if anything falls short. We stand behind our electrical work because your family's safety depends on it being done correctly.

Standard incandescent and halogen fixtures work with standard dimmer switches. LED and CFL bulbs require dimmers specifically rated for LED loads, and not every LED bulb is dimmable. If you pair a standard dimmer with a non-dimmable LED bulb, the lights will flicker, buzz, or fail to dim at all. Make sure to check the bulb packaging for a dimmable rating before purchasing. Ceiling fans with integrated lights require a fan-rated dimmer or separate fan speed and light controls.

Three-way switches, which control one light from two separate locations, require three-way dimmer switches, not standard single-pole dimmers. Recessed lighting, track lighting, and chandeliers work with dimmers when you use compatible bulbs. If you have replaced incandescent bulbs with LEDs and your existing dimmer now causes flickering or buzzing in the fixture, the dimmer needs to be replaced with an LED-compatible model. We install dimmer switches and full lighting controls throughout Dover homes as part of lighting installation projects and smart home integrations.