Electrical Problems? Call An Electrician Now | Wilmington, NC
Your electrical system is essential to your daily life because you need electricity to power your lights, appliances, and power and charge your electronic devices. Unfortunately, the electrical system can put your home and family at significant risk if something goes wrong.
According to FEMA, residential electrical fires are caused by various problems, including:
- 43 percent are caused by electrical malfunction or failure
- 23 percent are due to a short-circuit arc
- 11 percent are due to worn or defective insulation
Because electrical issues can result in disaster when ignored, it’s best to hire an electrician in Wilmington, NC immediately.
#1 Tripping Circuits
Your breaker box has circuit breakers that are a safety feature to prevent the circuit from overloading. An overload will cause the circuit to trip to avoid an electrical fire. It’s normal for a circuit to trip if you have too many things plugged into one circuit, and unplugging something should solve the problem. If everything plugged into the circuit is essential, an electrician can upgrade the breaker box so it can handle your home’s electrical demand.
If a circuit trips and it’s not overloaded, there’s a problem with the box, the circuit breaker, or the circuit that keeps tripping. An electrician in Wilmington, NC can inspect the breaker box to find the cause and fix it, eliminating the risk of an electrical fire.
#2 The Outlet Is Burnt or Warm
The outlets in your house should never feel warm, and you definitely shouldn’t see burn marks on the outlet. These signs indicate a wiring issue or an overload that can start an electrical fire that can destroy your house in minutes if left ignored, and you should hire a licensed tech.
There’s more to fixing an outlet than changing the face plate, and the electrician will repair the faulty wire. If the problem is due to an overload and unplugging something isn’t an option, they can add an outlet or upgrade the circuit, allowing you to run everything safely.
#3 Not Enough Outlets and Too Many Extension Cords
If you live in an old house and the electrical system has never been upgraded, chances are you don’t have enough outlets in each room. Older electrical systems weren’t designed to handle today’s energy demands, and extension cords should never be used as outlets. Using extension cords can create a tripping hazard, and the outlet can overload. Outlets are designed to handle a specific amount of energy. If you plug appliances or devices into an extension cord, the outlet will overload, resulting in an electrical fire, putting your home and family at significant risk.
An electrician in Wilmington, NC can install more outlets in your house and upgrade the breaker box if necessary.
Although a limited amount of outlets isn’t an emergency that must be addressed immediately, you should still hire a licensed professional as soon as possible to ensure your home and family remain safe.
#4 Humming or Buzzing Sounds
Do any devices, appliances, or outlets in your house make a humming or buzzing sound? If so, it’s best to call an electrician. The electrical hum or buzz could be due to a few reasons, including:
- Overloaded wires
- A bad wiring connection
- A grounded wire is faulty
A licensed professional can assess the sounds and determine the cause so they can fix the problem before it escalates, causing an electrical fire.
#5 Flickering Lights
Do the lights flicker in your house? If so, your house isn’t haunted, and your electrical system may be to blame. It’s not uncommon for the lights to flicker when you turn on an appliance that consumes a lot of energy when starting up, causing the voltage to drop for a moment. A breaker box upgrade can solve the problem if the flickering bothers you. The issue could also be due to a wiring issue or a problem with the light itself, and if you ignore the problem, it can escalate quickly, resulting in a fire that can destroy your house in minutes.
A licensed electrical tech can inspect the light and wiring to determine the cause and make the necessary repair.
#6 Sparks
It’s not uncommon to see a blue spark that disappears quickly when you plug or unplug an appliance or device when it’s on, and blue sparks are harmless. However, if the sparks are yellow or white, it’s a significant cause for concern, and you should hire an electrician immediately.
White and yellow sparks are hazardous and can cause a serious electrical shock or fire. A few issues can create these dangerous sparks, including:
- A short-circuit in the wiring
- Live wires from the outlet touch the ground wiring
- Worn-out electrical components
- Overloaded outlets
- The outlet wasn’t installed or repaired correctly.
- Hidden leaks
A licensed tech will inspect the appliance and the outlet to find the cause and fix the problem to prevent a fire or electrocution.
Call Mister Sparky of Wilmington Today
If your electrical system is acting up and you need to hire an electrician, look no further than Mister Sparky of Wilmington. We’re a full-service electrical installation, maintenance, and repair company, serving customers in the area for many years.
Our techs have undergone years of professional training to learn their craft and have the knowledge and skill to handle the most challenging jobs in the industry.
When you schedule an appointment for electric repair, one of our highly-qualified techs will arrive at your home on time in a fully-stocked van, allowing them to make most repairs the same day, eliminating the need for a second service call.
We’ve earned an excellent reputation over the years and have a 5-star rating on Google. We are also an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau and have an A+ rating.
You can also find us on Home Advisor, where we’re a Screened & Approved, and Top Rated business.
We also have an excellent reputation in the industry and have been recognized for our dedicated service. We were Angie’s List Super Service award winner in 2017, and we won Expertise.com’s Best Electricians award in 2021. Also, we won the Viewers Choice Award in 2022.
To schedule an appointment for electrical repair or any other service we provide, call Mister Sparky of Wilmington today.