Warning Signs You Need House Rewiring Electrical Services | Wilmington, NC
Rewiring your home in Wilmington, NC, may not be the most fun or exciting weekend project, but it’s essential to do when needed. Your house is your haven, and you want to make sure that it’s not at risk of an electrical fire. The good news is that there are several signs of rewiring danger in a home: flickering lights, warm wall sockets, and two-prong outlets are all indicators that something is amiss.
Your Appliances Are Running Slowly
When your appliances are running slowly, it could signify a bigger problem. If the problem is not with the device itself, it may be with the wiring. When you discover that your appliances are running more slowly than usual, it’s time to call electrical services and have them inspect your electrical system and make sure that everything is okay.
There Are Power Outages
Power outages can happen for various reasons, including storms, trees falling onto power lines, and animals chewing through cables. They can also be caused by faulty wiring or overloaded circuits. When these issues occur in an old home without circuit breakers, they may damage appliances such as light fixtures and outlets and anything connected to those outlets. This means it’s essential to watch how much electricity is being used when lights are dimmer than usual around your household. If anything looks amiss, you should contact your local electrical services.
You Have Outdated Outlets And Surge Protectors
Whether you have an outdated outlet, surge protector, or extension cord, these are all potential fire hazards. Outdated outlets and surge protectors can cause fires if they don’t have the current required for modern electronics. If your old outlets aren’t up to code and you plug in something that requires more electricity than they can handle, it could cause overheating and fire.
Outlets are also dangerous if they are not adequately grounded. This means that there’s not enough metal in the wall to complete the circuit between two prongs of an outlet. Without proper grounding, you risk getting electrocuted when you touch something connected to the outlet because electricity will flow freely through your body instead of being safely discharged through the ground.
The Wiring In Your Home Is Old
If you’ve got an older electrical wiring system in your home, many potential dangers lurk everywhere. The older your electrical system is, the more likely it is that you’ve got some problems with it. New wiring has safety features and protections that older systems do not have.
Even if all of the wires seem intact and undamaged, it’s important to have electrical services in Wilmington, NC, inspect them. They could still be dangerous because the protective insulation has worn away or been damaged over time by heat and moisture exposure when exposed to open-air environments like basements and attics.
Wall Outlets Not Grounded
It’s a good idea to make sure the outlets in your home are grounded. Grounded outlets are safer, more common, and more reliable than their ungrounded counterparts. It’s important to have electrical services that can help install grounding circuits. Grounding an outlet means that its hot and neutral wires have been bonded together to form a ground path back to the breaker panel.
This prevents potentially dangerous voltage surges from reaching you if something goes wrong with one of those lines or any connected appliances. It also helps reduce electrical noise, interfering with televisions, radios, and other sensitive electronic devices throughout your home.
Your Outlets Are Discolored
You may be surprised to learn that your outlets can become discolored with age. When the finish on a socket starts to fade and peel away, it’s time to replace them. This also happens if you live in an area that has extreme weather conditions. Things like humidity, heat or cold can cause the switch plates and covers to fade.
If you notice any of these changes, immediately contact your local electrical services to have them inspected. Discolored outlets usually indicate more significant problems within your system, so fixing them before they get worse will help prevent an even more severe issue.
No Emergency Power Options
It would be best if you had electrical services install emergency power options such as solar or a generator. Emergency power options are the safety net of your home’s electrical system. Suppose there’s a blackout or other power outage. In that case, you can still keep essential appliances running with the help of a generator or battery backup, which keeps your refrigerator and other necessary devices running for several hours at a time.
Solar panels also provide an alternative energy source for powering your home during blackouts. In this case, the home may require rewiring, so your wiring system would accommodate these alternative electricity sources.
Old Wiring Is Visible Behind Walls
If you see that the wiring is old and has splices, or if it’s not up to code, it’s time to call an electrician. If you’re lucky, you might have just one outlet in a room that isn’t grounded; this is easy enough for an electrician to fix. If there are multiple outlets without ground lines, it could mean that your house’s wiring is so old that it needs replacing entirely.
Non-Functional Switches
If you have a switch that won’t turn on or off, it can be a fire hazard. It is possible that the wiring in your home has been damaged and needs to be repaired. A non-functional switch could cause an electrical shock hazard if the wires are frayed, so fixing them as soon as possible is essential for your safety and health. If you notice any damage to your wall switches, do not touch them—call an electrician immediately.
Burning Smells
Electrical fires are some of the causes of home fires so you need to be aware of any signs that something might be wrong with your electrical system. The most common source of an electrical fire is overloaded circuits, leading to overheating and short circuits.
Sometimes, it’s not immediately evident that your wiring has a problem. This can make it tough to spot electrical issues before they become serious hazards. If you smell burning or see smoke coming from an outlet or light fixture, there could be an electrical problem nearby, and it’s likely time to call electrical services.
Do You Need Any Electrical Services? We Are Always Here to Help
It’s strange, but when something goes wrong in your house, there are clear warning signs that it’s about to. Maybe you hear a crack before something falls, or the power flickers just before the TV dies entirely. And while these could very well be nothing to worry about, you really can’t tell until you call in professional electrical services. If you live in Wilmington, NC, and see anything that seems off to you, don’t hesitate to contact Mister Sparky of Wilmington right away.