Early Indicators of Potential Residential Electrical Problems

Residential electrical problems should never go ignored. What you may be underestimating as a minor issue that will correct itself can have the potential of causing a complete power failure, if not other severe repercussions such as electrical fires in your residence. Thus, it is critical for every homeowner to have the contacts of a 24-hour electrician who can come and inspect their wiring in the event anything seems off kilter. Below are early indicators of potential residential electrical problems that should have you calling a professional electrician:

Burning odours when using appliances

Any burning smells emanating from your electrical outlets should be a serious cause for concern. These burning odours could stem from several reasons. Most commonly, electrical outlets will smell smoky if the circuit is being overloaded. However, the smell of burning could also occur if there is exposed wiring inside the outlet or if your appliance cable is frayed or damaged. The best course of action would be to stop using the offending outlet and have an electrician look at it post haste. Burning smells are an indicator of electric fires occurring, no matter how minor they may be.

Recurring electric shocks

Another indicator of problems with your electrical system that should not go unaddressed is consistent electric shocks. Some homeowners make the mistake of assuming these shocks are merely static discharges from their switch plates or appliances. The truth of the matter is that static discharge should only happen once in a while. If you are regularly experiencing a sting when you turn off an outlet, when taking a shower or when plugging in an appliance, then you probably have an issue with your home's electric ground fault.

Sparking from your outlets

Your outlets may develop sparking for a broad range of reasons. In most cases, sparking occurs when the outlets are exposed to moisture, so it will tend to affect the kitchen or the bathroom. However, sparking can also be due to your wiring becoming faulty, which would cause a drastic surge of power when you plug in an appliance. This second cause of sparking poses the risk of irreparable damage to your appliances as they can become short-circuited. Lastly, sparking may develop due to your electrical wiring being old. Due to the numerous causes of sparking, you may find that it can be one of the more common electrical problems that you experience. Nonetheless, this does not mean that it should be underrated as it poses the risk of electrocution as well as a fire hazard.