Electrical wiring issues in your home can cause significant damage. Many house fires are caused by poor wiring, so protect your home by watching out for the following signs of faulty wiring. If you suspect there is something wrong with your home’s wiring, do not attempt to repair it yourself. Instead, contact a local, licensed electrician.
You Frequently Blow a Fuse or Trip a Breaker
Sometimes, you’ll be vacuuming your living room, and the breaker will trip. This problem is annoying, but the circuit breaker and fuse are doing what they were designed to do — fail to prevent overloading.
While a breaker tripping every once in a while is typically normal, a fuse that is blown no matter what is plugged into the outlet indicates a problem with the circuit. An electrician can let you know if you should upgrade the circuit or add a new line.
Your Lights Flicker or Buzz
If you have a problem with your lights flickering or dimming, you may have an issue with your circuit being overloaded. Major appliances are common energy hogs. For example, when your home was first constructed, your lights in the laundry room may have been wired to the same circuit as the washing machine. Because of this shared circuit, you may experience blinking lights whenever the washing machine uses extra electricity to pull in heated water. An electrician can help you move major appliances to their own circuits.
Lights emitting a buzzing sound can also signify bad electrical wiring. If you hear your lights making a sound, contact a professional electrician.
Your Outlets Are Sparking or Hot to the Touch
As soon as you notice signs of your electrical outlets sparking, such as scorch marks or discoloration, you should contact a licensed electrician immediately. The heat produced by damaged wiring is causing harm to your house and can cause even more damage if left unattended.
Even if you do not see sparks shooting out of your outlet or visible signs of sparking, you may notice that your outlet is hot to the touch. When this happens, you’ll want to unplug whatever is in that outlet. If the outlet is still hot without anything plugged into it, there is likely an issue with the wiring in your home. Consult an electrician right away.
Your Wiring Is Frayed
Rodents and animals often cause frayed wiring. If you notice fraying wires, you’ll want to have an electrician replace the wiring as soon as possible to prevent further damage.
You Smell Something Burning
Your nose can be a great detective in discovering faulty wiring. If you notice burning smells in your home, you can follow your nose to the source. If it’s coming from electrical outlets or the circuit breaker, fire damage has already begun. To prevent further damage, a professional electrician should repair the wiring.
Fixing Faulty Wiring
Electrical issues are not to be taken lightly. If you ignore them, they could lead to potentially dangerous electrical fires. Keep your home (and family) safe by hiring a professional electrician to help you manage and fix faulty home wiring.
Our team can help you with all your electrical needs — from electric panels and rewiring installation to surge protection installations. For more information on our electrical wiring services, contact us today!