Bright in one room, dim in another, nothing starting. That is a loose neutral — the one fault that cannot wait.
Three causes cover almost every call we get for this.
The neutral bar lug or main neutral has backed off or corroded.
A corroded neutral connection in the meter base. Common after decades of weather.
A splice at the pole or the service drop. We confirm it is theirs, then you call PSE.
Takes a minute, costs nothing, fixes it more often than you would think.
Unplug computers, TVs and anything with a circuit board. Do not wait for it to get worse.
Still happening? That's our job.
We test voltage on both legs at the panel; an unbalanced reading confirms it in seconds.
Online or by phone. A technician reaches out within 1 business hour.
Traced to the box or device it lives in. Exact price before any work, you approve it first.
Right parts, tested under load, next connection checked so it does not come back.
Lights that brighten in one part of the house while dimming in another, on their own or when an appliance runs, are the signature of a loose neutral: the return path shared by every 120-volt circuit has come loose at the panel, the meter or the utility connection, so the two halves of the house share voltage unevenly — one side sees too little, the other far too much. It burns out electronics, overheats appliances, and starts fires. Unplug sensitive electronics, and call now; this is the one fault we move to the front of the line.
Yes. Unplug electronics and call (206) 486-6373 now. If anything is smoking or hot, leave and call 911.
Loose neutrals go to the front of the line.
Exact price after we find the connection, before any work starts.
If the fault was on the utility side, PSE has a claims process. Either way, we document what we found.
Licensed electricians across South King and Pierce County. Exact price before any work starts.