In 2022, residential building electrical fires caused 185 deaths, 850 injuries, and nearly $1.5 billion in property damage. Don’t become a statistic! If your home shows any signs of electrical system malfunction, contact a professional for electrical repairs right away.
Fortunately, fires aren’t the inevitable outcome of electrical problems. But even a minor issue can inconvenience and annoy you – not to mention impact your home’s market value, as well as gradually worsen into a more serious problem. If you have notice any of the following signs of electrical problems, then your next phone call should be to a residential electrician.
Frequent Circuit Breaker Resets
Your home’s circuit breakers serve an invaluable function: automatically shutting off electrical current before a short circuit can cause a fire.
If any of your home’s circuit breakers frequently resets, then it could indicate that too many devices and/or appliances are plugged in. Alternatively, the culprit may be a worn out circuit breaker, or another issue that puts your home at significantly higher risk of catching fire.
So, if you often find yourself trudging down to the basement to reset a breaker, then you have all the reason you need to request an electrician’s opinion.
Flickering Lights
Are your light fixtures frequently flickering or dimming? That may seem like a nonissue, but it may one day lead to a power surge that damages your appliances. Flickering lights may also indicate a deeper issue that can ultimately set fire to your house.
Best case scenario, your flickering lights are merely the result of a loose bulb or faulty light switch. But the issue can also arise from loose, defective or outdated wiring – any of which can lead to dangerous overheating. In case you haven’t yet sensed the theme of this article, flickering lights are a fine reason to call an electrician!
Hot Outlet
Does one of your home’s outlets feel hot to the touch when something is plugged into it? Then you should be on guard. A hot outlet often means one of two things: an overloaded circuit, or bad grounding (potentially resulting from corrosion of the outlet’s wiring harness or pin connections). An electrician will quickly assess whether a simple outlet replacement or a larger repair is necessary to resolve the issue.
Sparking Outlet
If sparks fly out of an outlet when you plug an appliance into it, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem. Brief and small sparks are normal under those circumstances.
But be on guard if outlet sparks are especially large, appearing as more than a brief flash, or any color other than pale blue. Such sparks could indicate that an outlet has been exposed to moisture, and therefore requires replacement with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. A sparking outlet may also be overloaded, too old or worn out to function safely, or at significant risk of short circuiting.
Strange Smells or Noises
Is your outlet emitting a burning odor, or an odd smell that could be described as “fishy?” Then you must take extreme caution, as that likely indicates the outlet’s plastic insulation or heat resistant chemical treatments are burning off due to overheating. Immediately flip the outlet’s circuit breaker, unplug all appliances from it, and contact an electrician for their expert opinion.
Strange noises should give you equal cause for alarm. Buzzing, fizzing or zapping can indicate any number of issues, including fraying wires or loose connections within the outlet. And while this may go without saying, an outlet or light switch that “zaps” you when you use it demands immediate attention from an electrician.
If your home in Minnesota requires electrical repairs, then Gilk Services is at your service. Contact us today for speedy and professional electrical solutions in Albany, Avon, Cold Spring, Eden Valley, Freeport, Kimball, Lake Henry, Paynesville, Richmond, Rockville, St. Joseph and Watkins, Minnesota!