Electrical Services: 9 Signs Your Electrical System Is At Risk | Hurst, TX
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There are few things more important than electrical safety when it comes to your home and more crucially, your family and yourself. Letting problems with your electrical system go too long without being examined can lead to a hazard that puts both your health and property at risk. Luckily, there are signs you can look out for that can help you see if you need to call electrical services to take a look at the system in your home.
The benefits of watching out for these signs go beyond safety. They also include a lighter monthly bill and a higher property resale value should you ever need to sell. Read on for nine of them.
1. Outlets with Burn Marks
If you start noticing burn marks on your electrical outlets, it means that the problem has been going for a long time. What this points to is a hot, or energized wire that has come in contact with the ground or neutral wire. The cause tends to be rusting, which naturally occurs over time, and the buildup of dirt and dust.
This is a clear sign that you ought to get professionals services on the line, and they’ll inspect all your other outlets as well to make sure that the problem hasn’t spread.
2. Flickering or Dimming Lights
Lights can flicker or dim every once in a while, and that’s nothing to be worried about for the most part. When it starts to happen very often, though, that’s a pointer that may be a severe problem within your electrical wiring. Electrical services are needed here. The problem might be that your system is experiencing voltage fluctuation. If that’s the case, you’ll notice other signs such as light bulbs glowing too dim or even too bright. They may also burn out faster than the expected rate.
This one too can be a severe problem with hazardous consequences if left unaddressed. Call electrical services as soon as you spot it.
3. The Smell of Smoke
Given that smoke that smells is almost always the forerunner to a fire without a professional getting to the root of the problem and eliminating it, make sure to call electrical services as soon as you catch a whiff of smoke coming from the electrical system in your Hurst, TX home.
The issue here will most likely be a short circuit. If it occurs within the wall, surrounding materials will quite likely catch fire. Before you call electrical services, it’s prudent for you to remove the fuse or switch off your circuit breaker until a professional arrives to investigate the issue more closely.
4. Clicking or Buzzing Noises
If you want to make extra sure that your electrical system isn’t experiencing any issues, pay attention to the sound that comes after flipping a switch. If you flip the switch and there’s silence, that’s a good sign. When there’s a buzzing or clicking noise, though, that’s a sign that there’s faulty wiring somewhere, and electrical services are certainly needed to take a clear look and solve the issue.
5. Damage from Rodents
Having mice in the house, unless they are pets, is a reason to worry for multiple reasons. Among those reasons is the danger they pose to your electrical wiring since they can chew through it and potentially cause major damage or even a fire.
This problem isn’t as widespread as the others it shares this list with, but it’s still certainly one to look out for.
6. Perpetually Tripping Circuit Breaker
Once your circuit breaker has become overloaded, it starts to trip. The more frequently it trips, the heavier the load surplus it’s contending with. Circuit breakers are designed to shut off their current when the load passing through them causes them to overheat, creating the potential for a fire.
A circuit breaker that’s tripping often might be calling your attention to a ground fault, a short circuit or an overloaded circuit.
7. Sparking Outlets
Electrical outlets certainly shouldn’t spark. When that starts to happen, it means you have a short circuit on your hands, which can, unfortunately, be the precursor to a fire. Sparking may also come from appliances. In which case, it’s most likely the appliance itself that’s the problem. You can make sure of this by testing the appliance on different outlets.
Call electrical services as soon as you can after noticing sparks at your outlets. Not only can this cause damage to your Hurst, TX home, but it can result in your appliances suffering irreparable damage. Even worse, it might carry the potential for electrocution.
8. Power Outages
Frequent power outages are perhaps the most disruptive sign that there’s a problem with your electrical wiring. Worse still, they don’t immediately give you an idea of what the exact problem with your system is. The sooner you can call electrical services, the faster you can have this dealt with, while avoiding damage to both your home and the appliances inside it.
One cause may be electro-chemical treeing. It happens when your consultation is poorly put together and starts letting moisture in, weakening the dielectric capacity. Alternative causes could be transformer failures, tree branches crashing onto transmission towers or even contact with animals such as snakes and rodents.
9. Overheating Switch Plates
When switch plates or outlets become hot, it’s a sign that there’s improper wiring. You can be sure of this when the switch plates keep heating up by themselves even if you haven’t plugged anything in.
Call electrical services as soon as you notice this problem. In the meantime, go ahead and remove the outlet’s fuse until a professional arrives to get it back into proper working order.
The nine signs above are handy for giving you added peace of mind through having a clear idea of how well your electrical wiring is functioning. If, when carrying out checks for any of them, you notice something amiss, we’re available to help. Call us at Tioga Plumbing & Electric and we’ll get your electrical system working at its best.