Ten Common Electrical Problems Around The Home

Nowadays modern homes are full of electrical wiring, various systems, appliances, computer networks and so on. We rely heavily on electricity every day at home and at work. When something goes wrong with it there is a real impact from annoyance to a more serious interruption. At that point, you might call an electrician near me to get it fixed. Here is a look at some of the more common electrical problems people might have in their homes.

1) Flickering lighting

There are a number of reasons why you might have flickering lights. It could be an issue with your supply/service so you could call your provider to make sure that there are no issues with the power in your area. Other issues could be ageing light bulbs that need changing and that is something you can change yourself. But if there are still flickering issues this could be a problem with a fixture or with poor wiring connections. Making sure such repairs are done safely means calling in an electrician.

2) Circuit breaker tripping when you use a certain appliance

It is unfortunate that one of the issues homeowners can run into when they move into an older home is that it is not designed to handle the high load people have nowadays for power. This can lead to a variety of issues that you might need an electrician near me for but one of which is a circuit breaker tripping when you overload the system. You might even notice it happens at certain times maybe when you use the toaster at the same time as the kettle, or the air conditioning is on when you try to vacuum. You really have two options, avoid what sets of the breaker tripping, or have your system upgraded.

3) A socket that gets warm when used

If you are using a socket and it warms up this is not normal and it is best to avoid using that socket until it is repaired. You should also check out if there are signs of burn marks or other signs of overheating problems. It could be an issue with faulty wiring and this is the cause of a lot of house fires so should be treated seriously. An electrician can best assess what the cause of the issue is, then solve your problem making it safer in your home at the same time.

4) Rising electrical bills

When you have everyone working optimally in your home, including having energy-efficient appliances and a better choice in light bulbs there is a very big chance you can reduce what you pay on the electricity bill. If you notice your bill is up from what it used to be at this might be a sign that your usage or waste has gone up. If you have not knowingly used this power maybe something is no longer running as efficiently as it once did. An electrician can help assess your home for these matters if you want to look at lowering your costs.

5) The ground fault circuit interrupter will not reset

The GFCI is basically there to stop someone from being electrocuted. If it is not resetting then it is not going to perform its job should someone get shocked.

6) Exposed wiring

Sometimes in an old home or after renovation work, wiring is left exposed. This is not good as it is a fire hazard, and is also dangerous to pets, children as well as adults. An electrician near me can splice and cover where needed or use staples and strapping to get it all safe and hidden.

7) A lot of extension cords and power bars

Usually, a home built in the last five to ten years will have enough sockets for your needs because it is designed with modern living in mind. But older homes have fewer places you can plug into and that means people buy extension cords and power bars. But overloading these things is a fire hazard. An electrician can help put in what you need.

8) Plugs keep falling out of the sockets

When the plugs keep falling out this means the connection is not secure enough, it happens over time as it is used a lot and gets worn.

9) Sparking sockets

Another common electrical problem people call an expert electrician out to look at are sockets that spark when you go to push a plug into them. Avoid using these until they are assessed by a professional.