8 common electrical problems everyone needs to know
What are the 8 most common electrical problems in the home?
Most common electrical problems are generally complex and require only the intervention of highly qualified electricians. Additionally, these electrical problems can be extremely dangerous if neglected for too long. To improve the safety of your home and possibly get it back into operation, it is imperative to call a professional, insured and experienced electrician as soon as you notice an electrical problem. Here are common electrical problems you need to be aware of to keep your home safe.
1. Electrical extensions
Electrical outlets are very common in homes today, but if they are not inspected regularly, they can cause problems. Sometimes a common problem with outlets is that there are too few of them. This can lead to the use of multiple extensions. However, extension cords are not meant to be used as a permanent wiring solution to this problem. To fix this, simply contact an electrician, such as the electrician professionals at Stoke-On-Trent we work with, and ask us to install more electrical outlets.
2. Electrical sockets
Another red flag of many sockets is if they are loose or / and if the plugs often fall out of the sockets. Unsafe sockets cause loosening of the terminals and arc and can cause a fire. This too can be fixed easily, buy some spacers, or have an electrician install a new outlet to replace the old ones.
3. Double socket
Check any outlets with two-pole or ungrounded outlets. If you have some installed in your home, replace them with three-prong, properly grounded outlets. You can also test the remaining three-prong outlets with a GFCI tester to make sure they are grounded.
4. Earth leakage circuit breaker
A very important type of socket that is needed in the rooms near the water sources in your home are the GFCI sockets. The ground fault circuit breaker sockets detect the amount of electricity being used. This can be particularly dangerous in the vicinity of water appliances, so make sure you have them installed or contact the electricians!
5. Cable junction
Check for any meeting points between cables and wires. These are jointed and must be properly closed in a junction box for safety reasons. Those junction boxes need to be properly sealed with a cover as well. Make sure that inside the junction box it is not overfilled with cables or that they get tangled with them.
6. Aluminium wires
If you live in an old house, especially a house built around the 60s and 70s, you may have aluminium wires instead of copper. Aluminium was used as a substitute instead of copper during that period. This can be dangerous because aluminium oxidizes much faster than copper.
7. Flickering lights
If one of the lights in your house flickers, especially when it is windy outside, have it checked. The outer weather vane may be frayed. The fraying will cause the lights to flicker because the strands are getting too short. Contact an electrician for electrical repairs!
8. Burnt smell
If there is a burning smell coming from the sockets, please have it checked by an authorized electrician as soon as possible. The burning smell indicates that the heat is melting the plastic, which can cause a fire. Also, if the outlets themselves become hot, disconnect any plugs that have been connected to the outlet and have it checked as well.
Many electrical wiring problems can cause serious risks to you and your home in the future. Make sure professionals check your cables, if you don’t already have one.
If you are in the Stoke-On-Trent province, contact us today to check your home’s wiring or to receive your free home power check out, where the technicians analyse your electricity usage and give you the information you need to make sure that your home is the most energy efficient!
CALL 01782301008