Of all the various issues that can impact different areas of your home, electrical issues are among the most dangerous. Sure, a plumbing problem can inflict water damage, and an HVAC malfunction can leave you uncomfortable for a day or to, but an electrical malfunction can cause electrocution or even a house fire. It’s essential that you check the wiring in your home at least once every few years. Or rather, have a professional electrician in Union, WA check it! Otherwise, you’re increasing the risk that problem will occur.
Even with routine check-ups and electrical maintenance, however, there’s still a risk that an electrical problem can happen. You should be familiar with some of the signs of an electrical issue so you can contact our pros right away. The following are a few possible indicators.
Flickering Lights
Chances are, your home is not haunted. But still, flickering lights can certainly be a bit of a nuisance! The cause of this issue is nearly always due to a short circuit in your electrical system. If it’s just one lamp or light fixtures, you might just have to replace that single fixture and nothing else.
If it’s impacting an entire section of your home, however, then the short circuit it probably somewhere in the home and you have a larger problem on your hands. If you’re experiencing this symptom frequently, it’s highly recommended you call a professional as soon as possible before the problem grows worse.
Hot Spots on Walls or Switches
Have you ever put your hand on a light switch, or a random area of the wall, and felt that it was warm? This often indicates points in your electrical system where current is flowing in a direction it shouldn’t be. Electrical current that is diverted to a point that it isn’t supposed to go, such as another wire or directly into the drywall, throws off a lot of energy as heat.
This is what you’re feeling when you notice a hot spot, and this sign usually means there is a serious breach in your electrical system. This could possibly cause a house fire and is therefore not something you want to ignore. Ensure you call for repairs as soon as you notice it. Do note, though, that dimmer switches operate a bit differently and will be warmer than traditional on/off switches.
Frequent Circuit Breaker Tripping
The circuit breaker of your electrical system is designed to protect your home from power surges. When a portion of your home’s electrical system suddenly begins carrying voltage beyond safety limits, the circuit breaker trips and that part of the system is shut down until the issues can be remedied. In most cases, a circuit breaker will trip because the circuit has been overloaded.
Unplugging a few things and then resetting the breaker are often all that’s required for this type of thing. However, if your circuit breakers keep tripping, you might have a bigger problem. Either there’s a more serious problem with that circuit, which the breaker is trying to protect against, or the circuit breaker itself is malfunctioning. Both of these need to be addressed right away.
