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At Hawkins, we’re always happy to help our customers with an electrical problem. But there are some times when, honestly, you don’t need our help.

For instance, many calls that the Hawkins customer service representatives receive are from people who have one or more electrical outlets that aren’t working. In many cases, we can solve the problem by asking a question instead of sending out an electrician.

“If they say the outlet is in the kitchen or the bathroom, I always ask ‘Have you checked your circuit breaker and GFCIs?’ ” one of our customer service representatives said. GFCIoutlet
A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet.
“Some people tell me first thing that they have checked already, but many haven’t done it.” A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet.

For those customers who haven’t yet checked, it’s not uncommon for the flip of a switch or press of the button to solve the problem.

You probably know where your circuit breakers are (they’re in the breaker box, of course). And if you’re not familiar with GFCIs, they are outlets with two buttons in the middle, most often found in kitchens, bathrooms, unfinished basements and garages (see photo above).
Our reps make sure to ask about GFCIs and breakers so they can avoid sending an electrician out — and having to charge the customer a travel fee — for such a simple fix.

But if you’re not calling Hawkins for your electrical service, you can’t be so sure that the company will be so worried about your expense. So we advise that you always check breakers and GFCIs before calling an electrician for electrical outlet repair.

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