More than 50,000 house fires in U.S. happen due to electrical issues. Over 400 people die every year because of this. More than 3000 fires start with extension cords causing many deaths and injuries.
Electrical appliances can be dangerous. There shouldn’t be any negligence when it comes to electrical issues. Some electrical faults can cause serious problems. Under no circumstances should you ignore these signs that you need to call a professional electrician.
- Circuit issues: If your circuit breaker trips often or the fuse blows off, you require a professional electrician. Such matters signify that the circuits are drawing more power than they ideally should. An unfortunate moment can result in a massive house fire. Avoid it by acting now!
- The flickering of lights: Have you noticed your house lights flickering when you switch on a particular appliance? It happens when you turn on a large appliance which, in actual, requires a dedicated circuit. By ignoring this, your device faces the risks of damage because of power issues. Your house circuit may also get damaged.
- Too many outlets: Crowded outlets are danger in itself. Too many wires fixed at one electrical point reduce electrical performance. Your devices may also get affected because of this glitch.
- Two-pronged outlets: The third prong helps to ground the entire electrical system and reduces the chances of blown off fuses and electrical shocks. Old homes might not have such outlets. It is important that you call up a professional electrician and get such two-pronged outlets updated to three-pronged ones.
- Heating up of switches: If the electrical switches get warmed up during use, that’s a sign of danger. These shouldn’t be warm to touch. Also, there shouldn’t be any black marks around the switches. If you notice any of these signs, better get the switches checked before it is too late.
- Minor shocks from electrical outlets: Minor shocks indicate issues in the grounding of an electrical switch or an appliance. Make sure you don’t raise the false alarm, though. Sometimes you feel small shocks when you walk on the carpet barefoot. Once you’re sure the shock was because of an electrical issue, call up an electrician.
- Burning Odor: If you smell burning odor in your house, try to locate the source of the odor. It may happen because of a defected HVAC unit or because of an electrical fault. Such odor indicates the beginning of an electrical fire. Once you locate the source and if it’s a switch, turn off the power supply and call an electrician. Do not touch that same switch. Turn off power supply from the main circuit board in your house and don’t turn it back on until you have got it checked.
Calling a professional VS DIYing
Electrical jobs are dangerous. While electricians would challenge this statement, this is true for homeowners. Fixing minor electrical issues is acceptable. But some jobs must be handled only by an electrician. Do read our post about five issues only a professional electrician should handle.
We hope we gave you fair warning about some major electrical problem. Be careful. Be safe.
