A common reason for the house fires you see is surprisingly electrical malfunctions. Why does it happen? When specific signs with electrical lines arise, most people tend to avoid them, whereas they should’ve addressed them immediately.
So, when do you need to call an electrician? Don’t try to fix things yourself unless you are an electrician yourself!
Do you want to avoid returning home to a house fire, keep using your appliances comfortably, or stop getting shocked when connecting something to the sockets? Here are seven alarming signs when you need an electrician immediately.
Singed Wires in the Fusebox
If you live in a hot and humid place, such as Nashville, it’s good to inspect your fusebox every month. Even if everything seems to look fine at first glance, you may be able to detect melting wires in the inspection.
Wires don’t melt right away. They melt after days of facing extreme heat, be it the weather or from the cables themselves. If you avoid it, it will cause issues in the fusebox, creating a potential fire hazard.
You should call an electrician in Nashville when you detect singed wires. Replacing them with fresh ones can help you avoid damaging the fusebox. Also, during the hottest hours of the day, avoid using anything you don’t need. It will reduce the energy flow, keeping the wires cool.
Burning or Smokey Smell
Have you been smelling something burning in the air but cannot locate where it’s coming from? Chances are, you’re getting the smell from burning wires. Since most wires are plastic or rubber insulated, you should smell something similar to plastic burning.
Check whether there are burning wires causing any fire. As soon as you detect this, you must immediately turn off the house’s power and call an electrician. You must not turn on the power until the electrician handles the entire matter, or you have to turn it on for something urgent.
Buzzing Sound Inside the Walls
You’ve heard a buzzing noise from somewhere, but you can’t locate it. It’s not from flies or bees, and it’s nothing like the slight humming sound. It can be a wiring issue or just loose terminals behind the walls. You can be at potential risk of a house fire in an incident like this.
You should immediately call a professional to locate the source of the problem. There won’t be any unnecessary damage to your walls while fixing the buzzing sound.
Tripping Circuit Breakers
Sometimes you may face issues with your circuit breaker tripping. In such a case, you should first check if you have too many things connected to a circuit, drawing more power than it has the capacity for.
If the same circuit is frequently tripping, it needs to be checked by a professional. If multiple circuits are tripping more often, you should call an electrician to check the breaker box. Not solving the issue can melt the fuse in the future, which is one of the common hazards leading to a fire.
Warm Outlets
You may have an outlet, or maybe a few, that feels warm when you touch them. This warmth isn’t a good sign and is a sign to call an electrician and check the problem.
It can be due to improperly grounded wires, or there can be damaged wires behind the outlet. And in a hot area like Nashville, electrical outlets can get warm very quickly. Not fixing the problem can lead to fires.
You Get Shocked When Connecting Anything to the Outlets
Do you get shocked when you connect something to an outlet or multiple outlets? If it happens occasionally, then it can be due to static electricity. However, if this happens every time, it can be due to unstable electricity, broken cords, or the appliances having damaged wiring inside.
If the problem is with the appliance itself, it should be addressed seperately. However, you must get an electrician to check the issues thoroughly with the other incidents mentioned. Otherwise, you may end up electrocuting yourself.
Electrical Surges While Using Appliances
Probably you have noticed how your lights suddenly start flickering, the lights dim down a bit when you turn your air conditioner on, start using your vacuum cleaner, or sometimes it happens due to your fridge. You never thought of it as a serious issue, so you have avoided it.
You can be connecting devices that draw more current than the outlet’s capacity. Or you still face this flickering when you connect devices that draw smaller amounts of current. It can be a sign of circuit overload.
An electrician can determine the reason and fix the issue. Otherwise, you can end up with tripping circuits that will eventually blow up your fuses. However, only one light flickering all the time means that it’s the light’s problem, not the electrical line.
Some Safety Tips to Follow
Here are a few safety tips to follow if you want to stay safe from potentially hazardous situations:
Get your electrical lines and boxes checked routinely by a professional.
Avoid overloading a circuit.
Avoid using extension chords as much as possible.
Always turn the main power off before working on the electric lines.
If you have children, get safety covers for your sockets.
Make sure you’re not touching water while working with electricity.
If a short circuit happens, turn off all the switches in the house.
Conclusion
Issues with electrical wiring are something that you should never avoid, as it can cost you a lot in the future. You shouldn’t delay whenever you notice signs that you need an electrician immediately, even if it’s as minor as flickering lights. Taking immediate action can save you later. And if you follow some of the safety tips mentioned, you will stay safe in the long run.
