10 Signs of Electrical Problems in Home

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We can keep many electrical issues around the house at bay just by being a little more wary of the electrical connections present in our home. Unawareness towards obvious signs of electrical failure, like flickering lights, higher bills, and appliance damage, can cost a lot when they are noticed after they are beyond repair.

10 Signs of Electrical Problems in Home

It is easier to keep a check on your wiring, noticing whenever they act up and then repairing them ourselves, than have an electrician look after them.

So, here are the most common issues that are faced by homes and ways they can be repaired.

  1. Electrical Surges

Power surges happen now and then, no matter what their frequency is. Poor wiring around the house can lead up to power surges. If power lines are damaged, your house will experience surges too. They are quite common, and if they happen, it will only be a few microseconds before they are over.

If you are beginning to experience surges often, the life expectancy of your equipment is going to be reduced. Try not to use the very poor-quality devices or power boards, and if there are any, disconnect them. Surges should stop after that, but if they don’t, then it is time for an electrician to visit you.

  1. Overloading

The electrical fittings that are available in the market come in different wattages. Sometimes, what happens is that the wattage of a fitting exceeds the wattage that the fixture can afford to handle. The code is violated this way, and you will be signing yourself up for many risks.

The high voltage fixtures release a lot of heat, that is enough to melt the socket. The insulation of the wires is also not safe from this kind of heat. Sparks can and will arise from this, and a fire can start due to these sparks. The damage in the wires will persist even after you have detected the issue and replaced the high wattage bulb with the lower wattage ones.

It is always a good idea to check the wattage of your wiring, and then always buy the bulbs that fall within this range. Sometimes the fixtures are not labeled with a specific wattage, so you can’t tell what kind of bulb you should be getting. If this is the case, then you can get the 60 watts bulbs available in the market, or the ones that are even lesser than that.

  1. The uncovered junction box

There is a junction box in every household. It is advisable to cover it up. As many wires are connected, even the slightest touch is enough to give the person an electric shock and damage the electrical stability.

Not covering it up is violating the rules. So, you must cover it with the screws that you have been provided with.

  1. Power sags

Dips and sags are a common occurrence when there are faults in the power grip. The electric appliances are connected to this power grip, so they are at risk as well. If the grid has been made of cheap materials, then power sags will also happen. In the case of a poorly made grid, more power is drawn.

  1. The light switches refuse to function properly

The light switch is not going to function if the artistry is poor, or the products have been made out of cheap material. Such switches are not going to give you the proper result even after you have adjusted the lights as they should be. But this can also be the result of bad wiring, bad outlets, or bad circuit. In any case, you ought to contact your electrician.

  1. The lights are flickering

Whenever faced by harsh conditions, like a windy day or stormy weather, you will often notice that the lights inside your house begin to flicker and fluctuate.

This is because the wires that are out in the open are frayed for somewhere; that’s why they are being affected like that. This is not the violation of code, but a high risk of fire exists due to exposed wiring. Better get it checked by the electrician immediately.

  1. The circuit breaker

The devices that consume a lot of power pose a risk of tripping themselves as soon as they are plugged in. A circuit breaker is a device that makes sure that it doesn’t happen and prevents you from losing your valuable and costly equipment like that.

A circuit breaker finder or a digital circuit breaker finder is a device that makes this job a lot easier. It will locate the circuit that has been tripped. Tripping is a sign that indicates that your house is well protected.

  1. Lesser outlets

These days, instead of using many outlets, extension cords are used at homes, and heavy load is applied to all of them. Instead of this, it is advisable to use more outlets.

  1. Electric shocks

Electric shocks are caused either by a bad device, or bad wiring. To check, you can use another device on the same plug. However, it is advisable to check with your electrician.

  1. Light bulbs keep burning

Your light bulbs may keep burning. There could be many reasons for that, like

  • The wattage is more than the capacity of the fixture.
  • Poor wiring.
  • Dim switch but more wattage etc

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