Signs Your House Has a Major Electrical Problem
Though you may take proactive steps to maintain your home’s electrical systems, there’s still a chance you could run into problems. Your home’s power grid is vastly intricate and is constantly handling electrical output, and this can lead to it wearing down over time.
But knowing the signs of home electrical issues can help you avoid a catastrophe. If there are major electrical problems on the horizon, there are usually several warning signs that will tip you off. Here are some of those signs.
Flickering lights
If your lights dim, flicker or buzz when you turn them on, it’s likely indicative of a greater problem with your wiring.
This is because lights don’t typically use that much power relative to other items, like appliances, so the problem is usually the voltage being used by those larger items.
Hot outlet or outlet cover
A lukewarm outlet or outlet cover is par for the course and not of much concern, but if you feel an outlet that is so hot that you yank your hand away, it could be a problem with your wiring.
If this happens, you should unplug whatever is plugged into the hot outlet and plug it into a separate outlet. If the same outlet grows hot again without anything plugged into it, the problem could be incorrect wiring or a loose outlet or plug.
Burning smell
In keeping with the theme of using your senses, if you smell something burning, the cause might be a home electrical issue. The odor could be coming from an outlet and could smell like something’s on fire, smoke or something else entirely unrecognizable.
If you smell this, it’s imperative that you unplug anything in the affected outlet and call a professional immediately, because it’s possible that fire damage might already be underway.
Presence of rodents
Depending on where you live, mice and rats could be a legitimate pest concern. In addition to giving you and your family a fright, rodents sometimes chew on electrical wires, and this can cause a major electrical problem.
If you discover rodent droppings, it wouldn’t hurt to do a quick visual inspection of your home’s wires.
Frequently tripping circuit breakers
Although circuit breakers are designed to prevent system overloads and tripping them once in a blue moon isn’t worrisome, if you’re tripping circuit breakers multiple times a month for several months in a row, there’s likely a significant electrical problem causing it.
The issue could be that your home’s wiring is faulty or you’re overtaxing the system with too many appliances or high-voltage devices. Whatever the case may be, if you’re constantly tripping circuit breakers, you should enlist the help of a professional.
Call to remedy your major electrical problems today
Hopefully, knowing the warning signs of potential home electrical issues can save you, your family and your home from incurring considerable damage. If you do find that you have a major electrical problem, give us a call at JB Electric LLC. We take pride in performing high-quality work that’s safe, efficient and effective, and we would love to demonstrate why we’re the experts in commercial and residential electric services.
Categorised in: Electrical Issues