Common Electrical Repair Problems Affecting Homes | Wilmington, NC
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Electrical problems can be either harmless or dangerous and life-threatening. When you detect a household electrical problem, the first thing you must consider is your safety. With specific hand tools and a little knowledge about your electrical system, you can handle some minor electrical repairs like a broken light switch and damaged extension cords. Other repairs that seem complicated are frequent light bulb burnouts, dimming or flickering lights, and dead outlets, which are better handled by professional electrical contractors.
Signs That Should Alert You of Electrical Problems in Your Home
Having electricity in your house ensures maximum comfort, hence you must know how to detect a problem as early as possible. Below are ways you can spot issues that require urgent electrical repair.
Heating or Sparking Switches and Outlets
When you touch a switch or an outlet, you can tell whether it’s heating or not. If it feels warm, there is a problem. Some outlets produce sparks when connected to an appliance, a sure sign that it’s time to contact a professional electrician.
Warm Ceiling Fixtures
Warmth on ceiling fixtures indicates that your bulbs exceed the recommended watts or there is inadequate insulation on the house’s wiring. This poses a fire risk that can cause significant damage to your property. If you’re still using incandescent bulbs, you can consider moving to LEDs or CFLs, which produce less heat.
Cracking, Buzzing, or Sizzling Sounds
All switch and outlet models operate silently. When you detect weird sounds when plugging into an outlet or flipping a light bulb switch, immediately turn off the power and consult an expert in electrical repair.
Mice and Rats Droppings
Rodents chew on electrical wires and their insulators, exposing you to a grave fire risk. When you notice any signs of mice or rat activities around any of your electrical fixtures, check for any damaged wiring and carry out the necessary electrical repairs. You should seek the services of a rodent eradication specialist when dealing with an infestation.
Unfamiliar Smells
Upon installing a new home electrical appliance, you might detect an unfamiliar smell that could result from the appliance’s paint or finish. However, if you notice a foreign odor coming out of your outlets, unplug all the fixtures and avoid using the outlets until they’re attended to by professional electricians in Wilmington, NC.
Common Electrical Problems and Repairs
Different electrical problems can happen in your household. You can handle some electrical repairs by yourself, while a qualified electrician must fix others. Below are the common electrical problems and repairs you’re likely to encounter often.
Frequent Light Bulb Burn out
This is an electrical problem that occurs when there is:
- Poor wiring on mains or circuit
- High voltage
- Tightly fixed bulbs
- High voltage bulbs
- Insufficient air circulation
The main culprit for frequent bulb burnouts is loose bulb holders. If this isn’t the case, contact an expert for professional electrical repair.
Flickering Lights
When some of your lighting bulbs are brighter or dimmer than others, it could be because there is a technical problem in the main power panel or the bulbs have different power outputs. A difference in the output is not a course for alarm but if the problem is in the main power panel, contact an expert in electrical repair.
High Electrical Bills
Many modern electrical devices were invented sometime after the installation of your household wiring. Old wiring can fail to handle these modern devices effectively, resulting in high utility bills. To ensure low energy consumption, always unplug devices from the outlets when not in use and never overload your sockets.
Electrical Shocks
Getting electrocuted is a bad experience that you wouldn’t want to encounter again. Electrical shocks can be mild or severe, and they often remind us of how dangerous electricity can be when mishandled. When you experience an electrical shock, the problem could either be in the wiring or the appliance itself. To avoid other electrocutions, you must seek urgent electrical repair from a qualified electrician.
Tripping Circuit Breakers
Whenever circuit breakers detect a problem in the electric circuit, they trip and break the current flow to prevent severe problems that could occur when it passes to unwanted regions.
If the tripping occurs often, you have to locate the main control panel that houses all your house’s main control switches. At the control panel, look for a switch panel with a switch that has either partially or entirely turned off and flip it on.
Power Surges
Power surges occur when you turn off an appliance that uses a lot of power like an air conditioner, or when your power company makes changes to the main grid. Electrical surges are dangerous because they can cause permanent damages to your electronics.
To avoid the damages caused by lightning strikes and grid surges, hire professional electricians in Wilmington, NC, to install a panel-mounted surge suppressor and plug-in suppressors to all your outlets.
Simple Electrical Maintenance Tips
Planned electrical maintenance tips allow you to keep your property, residents, and visitors safe from electrical problems. Here are the reasons you must practice simple electrical maintenance tips.
- To avoid massive equipment destruction when an electrical problem occurs
- Prevent electrical shorts that can cause a fire
- Identify electrical components that get warm or fail to get warm according to specifications
- Fix loose connections, which are notorious for power fluctuations
Common electrical preventative maintenance tips you should know include:
Never Force Plugging-in a Device
When your plugs fail to fit in your socket outlets, never attempt to force them in, as this can damage both the plug and the socket.
Keep the Cables Clear and Visible
Ensure that your cords run through points where they’re clear and visible. This will help prevent fire risks and frequent trips. Never run the cables under your carpets, rugs, and furniture. Other maintenance tips include:
- Replacement of frayed wiring
- Avoid mixing water and electricity
- Replacement of loose or wobbly plugs and sockets
When you need urgent electrical repair, your property is over 40 years old, or you plan to purchase a new property, it’s a good idea to hire professional electricians from Mister Sparky of Wilmington to check the status of the electrical system.