3 Signs You Need An Electrician To Check Your Home's Wiring And Electrical Panel
Your home's electrical system has to be built to electrical codes, so that gives you some confidence your wiring and electrical panels are safe. However, codes are always being updated, and if you have an older home, it's possible your system is not up to current codes.
Whether you have newer or older electrical wiring and paneling, it's a good idea to watch for signs of potential problems so you can get help from an electrician before there's a fire or you get a shock. Here are three signs of potential electrical problems in your home.
1. The Breaker Trips Often
There may be nothing to worry about when the breaker just trips occasionally, but if it happens often, or if it happens again right after you reset the breaker, that could be a sign of an electrical problem. At the least, it's probably a sign you're overloading circuits. But even worse, it could be a sign of bad wiring or another problem.
When your breaker starts tripping on a regular basis, call an electrician so they can check out your system and make repairs if needed.
2. The Wiring Insulation Is Gnawed
If you have a rodent infestation in your attic, it's a good idea to look over the wiring insulation once the rodents are gone. When the insulation is damaged, the wiring can start a fire much more easily. An electrician can repair wiring that has rodent damage to make your attic safer.
The attic may be one of the few places where you can see the wiring in your home. The rest of the time, it's behind a wall and out of sight. That's when you need to be alert to the smells of burning plastic, electrical odors, buzzing noises, smoke, and heat on the walls. These could be signs the wiring is overheating, and that's a dangerous fire hazard.
3. A Light Or Appliance Sparks, Pops, Or Dies
A short circuit is another potentially serious problem an electrician needs to repair promptly. You might suspect a short when you flip on a light switch and the light pops, sparks, and then dies. The same can happen to an appliance such as your stove. In that case, the short might be in the appliance, but it could also be in the wiring or electrical panel.
An electrician has the equipment to track down the source of an electrical problem so the right repairs can be done. A breaker might need to be replaced or an outlet or switch may need to be checked and repaired.