If you’ve experienced any form of electrical issue at home, chances are you’ve tried fixing it on your own. This is because you want to avoid paying for exorbitant repair costs as much as possible. Also, most homeowners think that electrical repair jobs are easy and aren’t so dangerous. But, even if some of the electrical problems in your house are easy to fix and less hazardous, it’s best if you can leave such things for the professionals to handle.
This article is going to talk about the most common home electrical issues that you should only let a professional fix. These include the following:
1. Short Circuits, Tripped Safety Switches, & Blown Fuses
A short circuit, as its name suggests, occurs when a part of the circuit is shortened. It could be that there are two wires touching one another, which causes a surge of electricity. Safety switch keeps tripping when you have faulty switch, appliance, or wiring. A blown fuse occurs when there’s too much electricity flowing through a circuit, which causes severe damage to it.
Older homes are more vulnerable to these three common problems since their electrical infrastructure has been taxed for how many years or decades.
You can try to moderate the use of your appliances at home to avoid these issues from happening, but you should really contact a professional electrician as these three are signs of more serious problems.
2. Loose Power Outlets
The power outlets should be intact every time you plug or unplug a device. But, when you see some shifting when using a power outlet, it could mean that your electrical system must be checked by a professional. Also, a loose power outlet may cause an electric shock when you plug or unplug a device.
This problem occurs due to a loose connection, and this may cause some serious damage to your system if not addressed right away. To avoid this from happening, call an electrician right away to conduct inspections and necessary repairs.
3. Dead Outlets
A dead outlet is often caused by a tripped circuit breaker. The excessive heat buildup caused by a tripped circuit breaker causes outlets and the electrical cables to melt. You should never attempt on fixing this problem on your own as it’s a complex task and may electrocute you. It should only be done by an experienced and qualified electrician.
4. Warm Outlets
The same can also be said about warm outlets. If you plug a device and the outlet becomes warm to the touch, you should avoid using it anymore. It’s also best if you can call a professional electrician right away.
If the wires plugged to the outlet are burning, it can be very dangerous and may cause a fire. It’s a good idea to check and feel all the outlets in your home periodically. Warm outlets should be caught early on to prevent fires from happening.
5. Dimming Or Flickering Lights
Lights flicker due to a variety of reasons. But, flickering lights are often an indication of a wiring problem, especially if a light fixture buzzes and flickers at the same time.
You should also check if several light fixtures go dim or flicker when you turn on your appliances. If you do, it’s a sign that your circuit breaker needs to be serviced by an electrician. It’s likely that your appliances are drawing too much power that you don’t have enough electricity to power your lights. This problem is also common in older homes with old electrical systems. If this is not fixed immediately, it may lead to overload, which could be very dangerous.
6. There’s A Burning Smell In The Air
If you notice a burning smell in the air and you can’t figure out where it’s coming from, it’s a sign of a serious problem. It could be a result of burning wires behind the walls or an electrical fire. As soon as you detect the smell, you should turn off the power to your house immediately. Then, you should contact the local fire department to check for burning wires that may have started a fire.
Once everything is all clear, it’s time for you to hire a qualified electrician. You should avoid turning the power on until the issues have been fixed by the electrician.
7. Buzzing Sounds
If properly installed, outlets and switches should operate without producing any weird noise. Strange sounds coming from outlets and devices require immediate attention as such may lead to a more serious problem.
Whenever you hear a buzzing sound when you plug in a device into an outlet or flip a switch, it’s an indication that there’s something wrong with your electrical system, which should only be examined and fixed by a skilled professional.
8. Lack Of Outlets
Extension cords shouldn’t be used for long periods of time. If you’re using multiple extension cords in a room to plug in your devices, it’s a good sign that you have an insufficient number of outlets at home.
The number of outlets in a house should be enough to meet the needs of your family. You should consider hiring an expert to install the required number of outlets for every room.
9. Your Electric Bill Keeps Rising Up
Have you noticed that your electric bills are rising up? If so, don’t blame your electric company for your unusually high bill. It could be that you have a faulty or inefficient electrical system, which causes your home to consume more electricity than it should.
Take a look at your electric bills for the last couple of months—if you notice a slight increase during the last two months, that’s completely normal. But, if you see that your bills are steadily increasing, it may be time to hire expert assistance for this matter.
Final Thoughts
It’s also important to note that most of these issues are fire hazards, so you really can’t afford to ignore them. It’s best to address these things as soon as you notice them to avoid putting your family to potential dangers caused by these electrical problems. All these problems should be only resolved by experienced and qualified professionals.
