Household electrical fires are a very real concern for homeowners. As many as
51,000 home fires
are caused by electricity each year. Additionally, approximately 500 deaths occur as a result of faulty wiring or other electrical issues every year in the United States.
You can protect your family and your home by being able to recognize issues with your home's wiring and calling your electrician right away. Here are three electrical concerns you should make your electrician aware of immediately.
Loose outlets are not just irritating because they force you to constantly plug appliances back in, they can be a home fire hazard as well. Loose or worn outlets are a common cause of electrical fires in the home and should be inspected, repaired or replaced by your electrician if you discover one or more in your home.
Poor connections can cause appliances and other plugged-in items to only work every now and then. On top of that, loose wiring can cause sparks if they are accidentally touched. Call your electrician right away to repair the issue. They will remove your outlet cover and ensure the wiring is tight before allowing you to continue using it.
A malfunctioning circuit can cause the incorrect amount of electrical currents to run to your light bulbs — making them flicker as a result. If you notice one or more of your lights constantly flickering, after you have changed the bulbs and made sure they were tightly screwed in, then you need to call your electrician.
Mismanaged circuitry in a circuit panel is another cause of home fires. Therefore, flickering lights should be taken care of before they become a more dangerous situation. You may notice most lights on the same circuit flicker or blink on and off randomly, which is something you should tell your electrician about as well.
Outlets should not be hot or even warm to the touch. Some outlets in your home will only appear heated after an appliance has been plugged in for some time, such as a candle warmer or a portable heater. Others are hot immediately upon touching them — whether they have been used recently or not.
Do not ignore hot outlets or blame their condition on the heavy electricity use of the appliance. A hot or warm outlet is often a sign that the circuity behind the outlet is shorting out and not transferring currents properly, which can cause whole parts of your home to lose power if overloaded.
Your electrician will use a special tool to trace the wiring from faulty outlets to identify where your electrical wiring is loose or broken in connectivity. They can then repair and update wiring so you have the proper amount of power going to each outlet, which can reduce overheating and make your home much safer.
Electrical issues in the home should never be ignored. While a flickering light or loose outlet may seem like a simple annoyance, the underlying dangers of small electrical issues should be taken seriously and made known to your electrician right away.
Your electrician will want to inspect your breaker box, individual circuits and all areas of the home where lights, switches and outlets are present. That way, they can identify the cause of your electrical issues. They will make repairs or suggest wiring replacement as needed.
You can protect your family and home by making sure the wiring in your residence is updated and safe. Contact the qualified electricians at
Presley & Son Electric Service
for all your electrical installation and repair needs.
