When switches and outlets are hot to the touch or producing sparks, it’s time to call an electrician. These are not normal conditions and could be extremely dangerous if left unattended.
Having a professional electrical inspection helps you address these issues before they become more serious, saving you money and potentially more severe problems down the road. Initially, safety and compliance matters will be addressed first.
1. Flickering Lights
When your lights flicker, it can be an irritating and even scary experience. While flickering lights may seem harmless in some situations, they could actually be a sign of a more serious electrical problem that puts your home at risk for electrocution or fires.
Flickering lights can be caused by a number of things, from a simple loose bulb to voltage fluctuations. The first thing you should do when you notice the flickering is to make sure nothing is plugged into an outlet or light fixture that shouldn’t be there. This is a good way to rule out any potential problems and will help you find the cause of the flickering quickly.
The next step is to check the fuses or circuit breakers in your breaker box to see if any are tripped. If they are, this will likely be the source of your issues as tripped breakers often indicate a major issue and will need to be fixed right away. If you do not find any tripped breakers, the next step is to listen for a popping sound when turning on appliances or light fixtures, or contact DGEC. This is a sign that the wiring in the affected area has been damaged and may be arcing. Arcing wires can be extremely dangerous and should be addressed immediately by an electrician.
If you’re still experiencing issues, it’s important to note that most houses share a transformer. This means that any electrical usage in the surrounding homes will affect your own. In most cases, this is not a huge issue but it’s something that should be checked out anyway. If your neighbors are experiencing similar electrical problems, it could be an indication that there is a larger problem with the power grid in your community that needs to be addressed.
2. Strange Smells
If you notice any strange smells in your home, it is a sign that you need an electrical inspection immediately. Any unusual odors can be a warning sign of dangerous electrical problems, including an overheated circuit or outdated wiring. These issues can cause fires and pose serious safety hazards for your family.
Electrical problems are a leading cause of residential fires, and they can be hard to detect without the expert eye of an electrician. If you have an older home, it is especially important to get routine electrical inspections because older homes may still have outdated wiring or equipment like knob-and-tube lighting.
An electrical inspector will look for outdated equipment and wiring, as well as any signs of a fire. He or she will also check that your electrical panel has enough capacity to meet your household’s needs and test all outlets and switches for proper function. The inspector will also look at the heights of your outlets and switches to ensure they are in compliance with local codes.
You should also schedule an electrical inspection if you have recently installed new appliances or other significant systems that increase your home’s energy consumption. This will help ensure that your home’s current electrical system can handle the increased load and prevent overloading.
During an electrical inspection, the inspector will also check to make sure your home’s GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupters) are working correctly. These are vital in areas where electricity and water interact, such as kitchens or outdoor outlets. The inspector will also check to see if your GFCIs are properly grounded and whether or not any devices in your home have their ground wires tied together, which is a serious fire hazard.
3. Burning Smells
A foul burning smell indicates something is wrong with your home’s wiring. If you notice a burning plastic smell or similar scent in your house, turn off the power to the area by shutting down the circuit breaker in the fuse box. Then, quickly determine where the smell is coming from and unplug any appliances that may be associated with it. Be sure to walk around the room and check that there are no wires exposed, as these could cause a fire or lead to other electrical issues.
Wires can burn, melt or overheat, leading to a burning smell, which is dangerous to your family and pets. This issue can be caused by a number of factors, including overloads (such as two electric fans being plugged into one outlet against safety standards), overheated wires from excessive heat, or from things such as dust and lint clogging the outlets.
The electrician conducting your electrical inspection will look for these and other problems, such as a lack of dedicated circuits to meet the space’s energy needs or improperly wired light fixtures. Having the right number of dedicated circuits is important because it reduces the risk of overheating and fire and allows you to avoid a power outage.
A professional will also look for fuses or circuit breakers that have become overheated and possibly melted, which can be dangerous to your family. In addition, the electrician will examine your outlets and switches to ensure they are high enough off the ground to avoid accidental contact. They should be at least 12 inches off the ground, especially in children’s rooms. If they are too low, a child or a physically impaired person could trip over them and get electrocuted.
4. Strange Noises
If you’re hearing buzzing, sizzling, or crackling sounds from your outlets and switches, it’s time to call in a professional. These noises can indicate that there are loose or broken wires causing arcing, which is an electrical fire hazard. If you don’t take action, these dangerous sparks could cause a fire in your home or even lead to electrocution or death.
If your breaker keeps tripping frequently, this is another red flag that it’s time for an electrical inspection. This indicates that your wiring can’t handle the current demand and needs to be upgraded or replaced. A licensed electrician will test your electrical system, and make sure the breaker is sized correctly for your household’s power needs.
You should never use extension cords to power devices in your house. Using extension cords can lead to overloading your circuits, which may result in burning out or damaging the device you are plugging in and even starting a fire. It’s also important to have enough outlets in your house, and if you notice that you are using many extension cords or only one multi-socket outlet for all your appliances, this is an indication that you need more outlets installed in your home.
Using an outlet that feels warm to the touch is another warning sign that you need an electrical inspection. Using an older outlet that isn’t up to code can result in overheating and damage your electronics. It can also incite a fire if the wiring becomes frayed or deteriorated over time. An electrician will inspect the outlets in your home, and replace them with new ones that are up to date. They will ensure that you have GFCIs and AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupters) in your home, and that the outlets are properly grounded to prevent shocks.
5. Heat
An electrical inspection is one of the best ways to ensure your home’s electrical systems are safe. These inspections help prevent electrical shock, fire hazards, and other costly problems that may arise from outdated wiring or other electrical issues.
Flickering lights are the most obvious sign that your house needs an electrical inspection, but persistent tripping of your circuit breaker is also a warning that something is wrong. It may be a simple issue that can be resolved with a new light bulb or it could mean your wiring is deteriorating and creating a fire hazard.
While it’s normal to experience a small electrical shock when touching something metal, large shocks after using an appliance are a serious problem that requires immediate attention. Even more dangerous is a burning smell. This is an indication that your wiring is overheating and posing a danger to you and your family.
When outlets or switches feel hot to the touch, it’s a surefire sign that they are overheating. This can happen due to old or damaged wiring, loose connections, faulty devices or wear and tear on the insulation. When these signs are ignored, they can lead to an electrical fire that could cause expensive and dangerous damage to your appliances or the structure of your home.
You should also pay close attention to the height of your outlets and switches. If they are a lot lower than you’re used to or you notice any discoloration around the plugs, this is a sign that there’s an issue with the wiring and it needs to be replaced. In addition to upgrading old panels, an electrician can also install isolated ground receptacles for sensitive electronic devices and whole house surge protectors that can protect your home from expensive electrical damage.