The safety of the house and home members goes hand in hand with the smooth-running electric system. Defects in the electrical system cause house fire. Not only can it result in collateral damage but also loss of lives in many cases.
By the statistics, electrical fires account for an estimated 51,000 fires each year on houses. These fires are responsible for $1.3 billion in property damage, about 500 deaths, and more than 1400 injuries. Even you might be surprised to know that electrical systems become the third major cause of house fire.
Are you conscious of your house electrical system to ensure maximum protection and safety? Don’t worry, you are at the right place. Here, you will get 10 warning signs of electrical problems in your house. Checking these signs will help you a lot to locate the evil of house fires from early on. So, keep on reading our comprehensive guide.
1. Unfamiliar or Unpleasant Odor
Burning or running an electrical outlet or fuse leaves some unpleasant smell. If you observe such a smell, immediately turn off the light and don’t use that plug again.
Most of the time, the fishy weird smell indicates circuit overload, power surges, or breaking of wire insulation. While the burning smell is an obvious sign of threat. It may cause burning in wire insulation and failure of the circuit breaker.
Don’t be proactive to use the DIYs. Call the professional Lubbock electrician if the breaker panel or fuse box emits odor to prevent the future hazards of fire and electric system damage for your house safety.
2. Extra Extension Cords
Using too many extension cords poses fire hazards. Each extension cord varies in length and the load it can handle. Overloading of connected equipment causes the burning of extensions. Also, running extension cords cause damage to outlets or even fire.
To avoid the situation, sparingly use the cords where necessary.
3. Sparking Outlets
Warm outlets may occur due to different reasons. Using too much equipment or even the damaged wiring causes outlets to warm. Call the electrician to check the outlets and the wiring to avoid hazards. The new appliances also sometimes cause sparkling. Repair person will be a cheap option as compared to an electrician.
4. Flickering Lights
Dimming or flickering lights are not always due to damage to the bulb itself. There are potential electrical causes of flickering lights. Light may dim because of the appliances like a washing machine or air conditioner. These heating or cooling machines draw more electricity. High voltage fluctuation is also a telltale sign of flickering lights.
Loose wires tend to transfer current to the bad connection to maintain voltage flow. It also results in the dim and flickering light. Not every time, the flickering light is of concern. But if you don’t know the causes, it is essential to reach out to an expert for help.
5. Buzzing Sound
We know safe electric systems don’t leave any sound. All the wires, breakers, and outlets run smoothly with no sound. If you hear a buzzing sound, it is of definite concern. The loose wires cause the electric outlet to leave a buzzing sound. Dimers produce a buzzing sound when the current jumps between the metal parts. Don’t use the buzzing switches or outlets and wait for the electrician to check.
6. Blown Switches or Tripped Breakers
Breakers, fuses, and outlets are meant to ensure the smooth flow of electricity. If your switch stops working or the breakers trip, it is a sign of potential risk. This happens only if the wiring is loose. If the switches blown easily, it means the circuit is overloaded. Unplug the cord or turn off the switches or outlet. Don’t ignore this situation, otherwise, you will pay for it in the form of a house fire.
7. Rodent Droppings
You might not know rodents love to chew electrical wirings. They dig in the walls, chip the wires, and make their houses. Starling stats show that 20% of the undermine electrical fires count for rodent chipping. The rodent’s teeth are always growing and pointed enough to bite the wires.
If you even observe the rodents or their dropping in the attics or ceiling, have an inspection of the home. In case of rodent infestation, you need to hire a pest control company. But you can easily get one or two rodents in the baits and traps.
8. Arc Faults
Arc faults mostly happen when the electricity shifts away from its normal path. These cases are also responsible for electric fires. But it is easily preventable using the device, arc fault circuit interrupter. The circuit interrupters also help to avoid the unnecessary tripping of breakers.
9. Hot Ceiling Fixtures
A warm ceiling fixture happens if the wires are not properly insulated. Using a voltage higher than recommended causes hot ceiling fixtures. Check the wiring and call the electrician for the faulty location.
10. Feeling Shocks
Properly grounded wires and electricity system won’t let you feel any shock. But if you feel shock by touching the metal objects, it is a sure sign your electrical wires are not grounded. These shocks are basically of two types, static and electric.
Static shocks are of no worry. But the electric shocks indicate poor grounded, damaged house wirings, and defective switches. Stop touching these switches and metals and hire an electrician for checking the issue.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, electricity light up our houses and life. But too much light and ungrounded wiring system poses the lives and property at great risk. Keep in mind all the hazards do not occur overnight. If you keep a meticulous eye on the little changes, you can locate the potential risk of electricity. Regular inspection and testing of the electricity system keep you away from the damage. If you observe the burning smell, feel the electric shock, or breakers trip frequently, reach out to the professional for help.