Top Signs You Need An Electrician | Irving, TX
Photo By gwmullis at istock
Your home will give you plenty of warning signs when it is time to hire an electrician, in Irving, TX. Here are several clues that will inform you when you have a major electrical problem on your hands. Don’t let these problems below fester and go unattended, as many of these warning signs can lead to fire or further electrical issues. Your home is your most important investment and your electrical system is a vital part of your home, do not skip out on maintenance of your electrical system.
Hot Outlets
While many appliances will generate heat when operating, your outlet should never be hot or warm to the touch. If you should notice an outlet is now suddenly warm or hot to the touch you should unplug any cords connected to it immediately. You should refrain from using that outlet until an electrician has troubleshooting the issue. Switch cover plates are the same story, with the lone exception of dimmer switches which are commonly warm to the touch. Dimmer switches are only warm to the touch as they expel the excess electrical energy. It should be noted however that even dimmer switch plates should never be hot, only warm. If your dimmer switch feels hot to the touch, it can not handle the wattage and will need to be replaced by an electrician.
Flickering Lights
Flickering lights are not the sign of ghosts or spirits, but of an electrical issue. Usually, flickering lights are caused by a loose electrical connection. If only one light is flickering the fix is pretty easy and straightforward. However, if multiple rooms or lights are affected, then your problem lies farther back in the circuit in most cases. If your whole house is flickering the issue could be in the breaker box or the utility drop outside. If your flickering lights are caused by loose wiring then you want to hire an electrician right away as loose wiring is one of the top causes of home fires. You should never ignore the warning signs given by flickering lights, instead call in a pro to determine what is causing the issue, as it may be more than the minor annoyance you thought it was.
Aluminum Wiring
Only homes built in the late 60s and early 70s tend to have this type of wiring. Copper prices were higher back then and many home builders took the cheap option of running single strand aluminum wire. Lab tests at the time suggested it was safe, so it seemed like a good idea to keep down the costs of a new build. The problem however didn’t show up until these homes aged, as the aluminum wiring oxidizes faster than copper does. This leads to the build-up of heat and leading to fire risks. If your home has this type of wiring today, it is a fire risk. A home with this type of wiring is 55 times more likely to experience a house fire. You can have this issue addressed with specialized connectors or a complete home rewire. It is always best to consult with an electrician, in Irving, TX if you have aluminum wiring.
Burning Smell
This is likely the top warning sign that you need an electrician! If your home’s wiring is heating up enough to melt the plastic sheathing on your wires you are facing the immediate risk of a fire and you need to take action right away. You need to determine the source of the issue whether it is the breaker box or at one fixture. If you cannot figure out what is causing the burning smell then turn off your breaker and call an electrician right away. Many house fires started out with the tell-tale burning wire smell.
Improperly Grounded Flexible Gas Lines
If your home has corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) or flex line to supply gas in your home, you want to ensure that it is properly grounded. An electrical surge such as caused by a lightning strike could rupture the corrugated stainless steel tubing, resulting in a gas leak or worse yet an explosion. If you are unsure whether your gas line is grounded or not you should call a licensed electrician.
Ungrounded outlets
If you happen to touch anything metal connected to your home’s electrical lines and receive a shock, this is a strong sign that you have grounding issues. This means your outlets or wiring is not properly grounded. Not only does this go for fixtures such as lamps and appliances but also water lines and furnace ductwork. I should point out not to confuse normal static shocks with nasty electrical shocks caused by poorly or ungrounded wiring and outlets. Most appliances these days have 3 prongs and if your electrical service is ungrounded your appliances won’t be protected.
Loose Outlets
Loose outlets lead to loose wiring inside of the outlet. You want to get this solved quickly as loose wires in your outlets can lead to shorts, sparks, and even fire hazards. Never tinker with an outlet if you do not understand fully the wiring involved, as you could become electrocuted easily by touching the wrong wire. Luckily this issue is fairly easy and inexpensive to fix.
Rodent Activity
If you have rodents in the walls of your home, chances are they have chewed the wiring. Rodents often will chew a wires protective sheaf bare, exposing live wires. This of course is a severe fire hazard. Your wires once bare can easily spark or overheat, therein lays the fire hazard. If you suspect you have rodents in your walls it is time to not only call an exterminator but also an electrician.
If you have any of the above electrical issues, call the pros at Tioga Contractors today for an estimate! We even have emergency hours in case you have an emergency that cannot wait till normal business hours. We offer prompt, emergency service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are a BBB accredited business.