Skip to main content
  • Call me on: 01626 299105
Home
  • Home
  • Why I love small jobs
  • Services
    • Bathroom Fans
    • EICR Electrical Reports
    • Electric Vehicle Charging
    • Fault Finding
    • Fuseboard Upgrades
    • Rewires
  • Areas I cover
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • More
    • FAQ's
    • Portfolio
    • Helpful downloads
    • Lumens to watts
    • Socket Overload Calculator
    • Electric Heating Calculator
  • Videos
  • Request a call back

Dennis and the Light That Only Works When It’s Kicked (And Why That’s a Problem)

Electrical Safety
September 15, 2025
By Dan on
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print
Dennis and the Light That Only Works When It’s Kicked

We all know someone like Dennis.

He’s resourceful, hands-on, and fiercely loyal, especially to that hallway light that’s been dodgy since 1994.

To most people, a light that only turns on after a carefully placed boot to the skirting board would be a red flag.

But to Dennis, it’s just how things work.

“You’ve just got to know where to kick it,” he says, with the kind of pride usually reserved for restoring a classic car.

At A.M Electrics Devon Ltd, we’ve seen our fair share of ‘characterful setups’ — lights that only work if the toaster’s on, plug sockets that hum like an old radio, and mystery switches labelled “DO NOT TOUCH”.

But Dennis’s hallway light is a classic example of what many homes across Newton Abbot, Torquay, Teignmouth and Bovey Tracey are quietly putting up with: old, worn, and potentially unsafe electrical fittings.

The Hidden Risks Behind “It’s Always Done That”

When something electrical isn’t working properly — and hasn’t for years — it’s not just an annoyance.

It’s a possible safety hazard.

In Dennis’s case, what likely started as a loose connection or worn-out switch may now have become something more serious:

  • Intermittent faults
  • Overheating at connection points
  • Worn cables behind the plaster
  • Or even risk of arcing (tiny sparks inside the switch)

It’s easy to laugh it off.

But when your electrics start responding better to a kick than a switch, it’s probably time to get it checked.

How We Can Help

At A.M Electrics Devon Ltd, we specialise in:

✔ Replacing old and faulty switches

✔ Identifying and repairing intermittent faults

✔ Upgrading lights, sockets and wiring to modern safety standards

✔ Providing honest advice — no unnecessary upselling

Best of all? You’ll always know who’s turning up. We’re a local, family-run business based in Newton Abbot and covering all of South Devon.

Sound Familiar?

If your hallway lights only work when given a nudge…

If you’ve got a switch that nobody touches anymore…

If your sockets or fittings are older than your boiler…

Then let us take a look — before it turns into a bigger (and more expensive) issue.

📞 Call A.M Electrics Devon Ltd on 01626 299105

🌐 Or fill out our short contact form

Proudly serving Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton, Bovey Tracey, Torquay, Teignmouth, Paignton & beyond.

Read more articles

Older
Why Your EV Charger Needs a Yearly Electrical Test – Even If It Seems to Be Working
Dan
1
min read
A- A+
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print

Drop me an email and I get back to you asap

Upload up to 5 photos to help us with your enquiry (optional)
Preferred method of contact

Need a Trusted Local Electrician?

Whether you're in Newton Abbot or anywhere in the surrounding areas, A.M Electrics are here to help. Dan and the team provide honest, reliable service you can count on.

01626 299105 OR DROP ME AN EMAIL
accreditations
Here are some of the things that my current and past customers have to say about me and my company.
Here are some of the things that my current and past customers have to say about me and my company.
  • Very Impressed with the professional service. Explained clearly the process and any problems encountered.

    5

    Would HIGHLY recommended , 11 out of 10 !!!

    Louise Randall
  • Excellent job done by Dan who was very helpful and courteous

    5

    helpful and courteous

    Ann Hart
  • Excellent service, reliable, always on time, offers good advice and always treats me and my property with respect.

    5

    Excellent service

    Joyce Large
Read all testimonials

Need a Trusted Local Electrician?

Whether you're in Newton Abbot or anywhere in the surrounding areas, A.M Electrics are here to help. Dan and the team provide honest, reliable service you can count on.

01626 299105 OR DROP ME AN EMAIL
A.M Electrics Devon LTD
Electrician in Newton Abbot, Devon

Company number: 14447505

Vat number: 439 8763 37

    • facebook
    • instagram

Services

Office power
Energy Saving
Smart Thermostats
New Lights
Outside Sockets
Fuseboard Changes
Outside lighting
Internet Point Installation

Contact information

 01626 299105

 Contact me by email

 100 Queen St, Newton Abbot TQ12 2EU

 Monday – Thursday: 08.00am – 5.00pm

Friday - 08.00am - 4.00pm

Saturday & Sunday - Closed

Information

Terms and conditions

FAQ's

Contact me

Meet the Team

Service areas

© A.M Electrics Devon LTD | 100 Queen St, Newton Abbot TQ12 2EU | 01626 299105

This website design, software, structure and the way it has been packaged, including it's custom code outside of Drupal open source software, is protected by copyright. This software can only be managed by My Local Trades, or customers of, My Local Trades - Websites for [custom:customers_trade]s