Electrical wiring can become faulty over time. A faulty electrical wiring system can affect the proper functioning of your electrical appliances, and you may end up paying higher electricity bills. In severe cases, poor electrical wiring can lead to electrical fires in your home. For this reason, it's essential to identify some of the signs that your home's electrical wiring could be problematic. This will help you find the required solutions early enough and avoid the devastating effects of bad electrical wiring. Here are some clues to watch out for.
Frequent Tripping of Your Circuit Breaker
A circuit breaker is a safety feature designed to cut off electrical power whenever there's a surge, preventing electrical fires and overheating. It's not uncommon for your circuit breaker to trip once in a while especially if you overload a circuit. However, if you notice that the circuit breaker continues tripping even after putting the switch back, you could be dealing with a bad connection in your electrical wiring system. Unrepaired, a problem in your electrical wiring system can cause a dangerous fire. Therefore, find an electrician as soon as possible to identify the problem and make the necessary repairs.
If you live in an older house, it would have a fuse box in place of the circuit breaker. In such case, you will notice the fuse blowing up more frequently. Unlike in a circuit breaker where you simply flip the switch back, you will have to replace the fuse.
Buzzing Sounds
Electrical current or impulses should travel quietly and seamlessly between connections. Frayed electrical wiring can cause the current to jump over the gaps created by the fraying, causing a buzzing sound in the process. In some cases, buzzing will occur when you flip a specific switch. If this happens, you have to stop using the fixture connected to that switch until an electrician evaluates your wiring.
Frequent Flickering of Lights
This is another common sign of faulty electrical wiring, especially in an older home. You may notice this problem once you equip the older home with modern appliances such as a microwave oven. In most cases, the wiring of the older home may not have the capacity to accommodate the added appliances, resulting in a dip in electrical power, which in turn causes the lights to dim or flicker. An upgrade in your electrical wiring system may be the ideal solution for this problem.
Hot Switch Plates or Outlets
Switch plates or outlets should be cool to the touch. While it's not uncommon for them to feel slightly warm, they should never be scorching hot. If you had an appliance plugged in, remove it and try to feel the switch plate. If it is still hot with nothing plugged in, it could be wired incorrectly.
When it comes to renovating a home, there are a lot of things you can do, and quite a few you should not! I am renovating my first home, and I have learned a lot simply by watching home handyman videos. However, when it comes to electrical work, I am limited by both safety and legal restrictions. My electrician will do the brunt of the rewiring work, but I am using this blog to help you identify causes of electrical faults; so you can bring to the attention of your own electrician. I will also discuss the basics of home electrical systems, such as what circuit breakers do, so you have a better idea where to start looking when the power goes out.