Do You Know When To Call An Emergency Electrician? | Wilmington, NC
Whether you own your own home or you lease the place where you live, it’s probably safe to say that you take your place’s electrical system for granted. As long as the lights are working and your appliances running, everything is ok, and having to call an emergency electrician in Wilmington, NC is probably the furthest thing from your mind. But forgetting about your home’s electrical system can get you in deep water when something does actually go wrong, placing your family and yourself at risk for injury, and in the worst case, loss of life. Because of this, the best thing you can do is learn how to recognize the subtle signs that you may need the services of an emergency electrician soon. Let’s take a look.
1. A burning smell is coming from your outlets
It can be barely detectable, but when you smell something burning in your home’s outlets or coming from the walls, it’s always best to call an emergency electrician right away. Don’t waste time trying to confirm something is wrong, just call. A burning smell could be a sign of an overheating outlet or wiring. It could also point to an electrical fire brewing behind your walls. No matter what the cause, if you sense this type of odor in your home, shut down your system’s circuit breaker and call an electrician immediately.
In the end, you may find that the problem was just beginning, and only requires a simple fix, but this should give you the peace of mind of knowing that you caught it right on time, before it could cause untold damage to your property. This also stands true for finding scorch marks on your outlets. These brown or black marks can be a sign that the problem has already grown, so getting immediate help from an emergency electrician is imperative.
2. Your home’s breaker box is humming or buzzing
The first thing you should know is that your electrical system should never make any type of noise. That said, if your breaker box is making even the slightest hum or buzz, it could be letting you know that your home’s entire electrical system is in trouble. Keep in mind that the sole purpose of the breaker box is to keep your home safe from random electrical surges. The humming or buzzing coming from it could be a sign that your wiring is overloaded. If the breaker box is damaged, your property could be left wide open to costly damage from any power surge. So, if you hear any noises coming from the breaker box, call an emergency electrician to diagnose and fix the problem right away.
3. Your outlets spark when you connect something
A small blue spark coming from your outlets when you connect an appliance is quite normal and nothing to worry about. But, when the sparks are large and have a yellow or white coloring, your home’s electrical system could be having problems. Sparks coming from your home’s outlets can happen for numerous reasons, including faulty wires, overloaded outlets, and even incorrectly installed wiring or outlets. Because all of these conditions can pose a serious hazard to your Wilmington, NC home and everybody in it, your best bet is to call an emergency electrician to fix it right away.
4. Your lights have started flickering or have dimmed for no apparent reason
Has it ever happened that when you turn on the microwave oven to heat your coffee, the lights in the kitchen flicker or dim? This is a surefire sign of trouble because your home’s wiring could be overloaded, outdated, or damaged. Calling an emergency electrician is the best way to get the problem fixed before it becomes a real danger to your property.
5. Your circuit breaker keeps tripping
Are you getting tired of getting up to flip on the circuit breaker every time your washer, fridge, and microwave are working at the same time? While it can be annoying, your electrical system is actually alerting you to potential trouble. Calling an emergency electrician will ensure your electrical system is in good shape and your electrical appliances are not damaged from unexpected surges or other issues. A circuit breaker that trips constantly is normally a sign of an overloaded system. Not heeding the warning could lead you to lose your property due to an electrical fire caused by problems with your wiring, so don’t think twice about calling an expert when it happens instead of just getting up and flipping the breaker on again.
6. Your home’s electrical system is old
Because of the constant stress placed on your home’s electrical system due to continuous use throughout the years, if your electrical system hasn’t been updated in a long time, you may want to consider calling an expert to inspect it for any damage that could pose a risk to your property and loved ones. An emergency electrical professional is probably the best way to find and repair any potential problems before they grow into serious, and more costly, issues. Age and use can cause wires to become frayed, connections to become loose, and outlets to become worn and faulty, so getting it all repaired and upgraded in time can, quite literally, be a lifesaver.
Are You Looking for an Electrician?
When your lights go off even though your neighbor’s homes are still lit, or you find one of the signs of trouble mentioned above, Mister Sparky of Wilmington is the right place to find help. As Wilmington, NC‘s foremost emergency electrician, Mister Sparky of Wilmington is always available to get you the help you need, when you need it. We understand how stressful an electrical problem in your home or business can be, which is why we perform each job as professionally and efficiently as possible. It is our mission to keep our customers’ lights on in a seamless and problem-free manner, so, if your electrical system is acting up, don’t hesitate to give us a call today!