Electrical Repair and Troubleshooting in Franklin, TN
- Licensed and insured plumbing, HVAC and electrical techs
Why Franklin homeowners call us
A free diagnostic visit
We come look at your electrical repair problem in Franklin and explain it in plain words. The visit is free.
A firm price before work starts
You get the price for the job before we begin. Each job is priced on its own.
One call covers the whole house
Plumbing, HVAC and electrical from one company. Plumbing, HVAC and electrical work is done by licensed and insured techs.
Where does MTE's part end and yours begin?
At the weatherhead and the meter. Middle Tennessee Electric says it is responsible for getting power to those points, and you are responsible for the equipment from the weatherhead to the meter and from the meter base into your home. That includes the meter base (the socket the meter plugs into) and the riser pipe that carries the service wires down the wall.
After a storm, MTE looks for damage to the weatherhead, riser pipe and meter base before it reconnects. If it finds any, MTE asks you to have a licensed electrician make the repair under a permit from your city or the state, then call MTE with the permit number to restore service.
What does Franklin require for electrical permits?
Inside city limits, the City of Franklin issues electrical permits through Building and Neighborhood Services, separate from building, plumbing and mechanical permits. The city says contractors doing electrical work must use electricians licensed locally or hold a state Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license to get permits and inspections. In unincorporated Williamson County, electrical permits come from the State of Tennessee instead.
The city has also warned residents about unscrupulous offers of storm damage repair. Before you agree to electrical work from anyone, ask for the license and ask who is pulling the permit.
What electrical problems show up in Franklin's older houses?
Mostly wiring that has been changed many times. Hincheyville's homes date from about 1828 to 1930, long before today's kitchens, air conditioners and chargers, so their wiring has been added to and updated in stages. Cottonwood's houses, built mostly from 1975 to 1984, now have panels and wiring more than 40 years old.
Signs worth a call in a house of any age: warm outlets or switch plates, breakers that trip again after a reset, a burning smell, and lights that dim when a large appliance starts.
What electrical repair covers
Troubleshooting
Tracing the problem to the circuit, device or connection at fault, with testing rather than guessing. You hear what was found before anything is replaced.
Breakers and circuits
Replacing worn breakers, sorting out circuits that carry more than they should, and adding a circuit when one outlet or appliance needs its own.
Outlets, switches and fixtures
Replacing dead, loose or scorched outlets and switches, repairing light fixtures, and adding GFCI or AFCI protection where it belongs.
Partial power loss
Finding why part of the house went dark: a tripped breaker, a GFCI outlet upstream, a failed connection, or a problem at the panel or meter base. When the cause is on the utility's side, we'll tell you so you can call them.
New construction and renovations
Electrical rough-in and trim-out for new homes, additions and remodels, on one schedule with the plumbing and HVAC work.
More about electrical repair and troubleshooting across Middle Tennessee
Urgent
Burning smell, sparks or a hot outlet?
- If you see smoke or fire, get everyone out and call 911 from outside.
- Don't touch the outlet, switch or panel if it is sparking, wet or hot, and don't unplug anything from a sparking outlet.
- If it is safe to reach the panel, switch off the breaker for that circuit. If you aren't sure which one, switch off the main breaker.
- Then call us at (615) 426-9344.
We work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Outside those hours, shut off what you can, stay safe, and call or text first thing.
How we price it
- The diagnostic visit
- Free. We come look, find the cause and explain it.
- Your price
- Firm price given before any work starts.
- How we price
- Priced per job. Each job is priced on its own.
- Why prices stay down
- Low overhead, and the work done right the first time with current methods, equipment and quality materials, so you are not paying for callbacks.
Neighborhoods we serve in Franklin
Downtown Franklin, Hincheyville, Lewisburg Avenue, Cottonwood, Forrest Crossing, Fieldstone Farms, McKay's Mill, Westhaven, Ladd Park, Berry Farms, Cool Springs, and the rest of Franklin.
Electrical Repair in Franklin: common questions
A storm pulled the meter box off my wall. What now?
Stay clear of it and report it to Middle Tennessee Electric. If MTE finds damage on your side, such as the meter base or riser pipe, a licensed electrician and a permit are needed before power comes back. Call or text us to set up the repair.
Why does MTE want a permit number before reconnecting?
Because the repair is on your side of the meter, and the permit shows it was done by a licensed electrician and inspected. Once the work is finished, you call MTE with the number to set up reconnection.
Does the historic district limit electrical work?
The historic review covers exterior changes, so most indoor wiring work isn't affected. Outdoor equipment is different. The design guidelines list generators and transformers among the equipment to keep away from the street front and screen from view.
Why do my breakers keep tripping?
A breaker trips to protect the wiring from too much current or a fault. If it trips again right after a reset, leave it off and call or text us. Repeat trips can mean an overloaded circuit, a failing appliance or a wiring fault.
Should I replace a panel from the 1970s or 1980s?
Not automatically. Age alone doesn't condemn a panel, but scorch marks, rust, breakers that won't reset, or no room for new circuits are reasons to have it checked. You'll get a firm price for the repair or the replacement.
Can you install a generator or an EV charger in Franklin?
Yes. Generators and Level 2 EV chargers, including the Tesla Wall Connector, each need a dedicated circuit, and new circuits generally need a permit and inspection. We'll check whether your panel has room first.
An outlet feels warm or smells like burning. What should I do?
Stop using it and turn off the breaker for that circuit. If you see smoke or flames, leave the house and call 911. Then call or text us at (615) 426-9344.
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Why does my breaker keep tripping?
A breaker keeps tripping because something on its circuit isn't safe: too much load, a short, a ground fault or arcing. Sometimes the breaker itself is faulty. Unplug what's on the circuit and reset it once. If it trips again, even hours later, leave it off and have a licensed electrician find the cause.
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Is my electrical panel outdated?
Your panel is likely outdated if it uses fuses, has no open spaces for new circuits, or is decades old and never updated. Many older homes have 100-amp service or less, which gets tight with an EV charger or heat pump. Heat or a burning smell at the panel is a fire risk: get everyone out and call 911.
Work that holds.
Call or text for electrical repair in Franklin.