In old homes, you may experience dimming lights, flickering lights, or occasional power surges. These happen because of your home’s old electrical wiring. This not only becomes an inconvenience but can also pose a serious danger to your home and everyone who lives in it (including yourself). So how will you know if the wiring of your home is too dangerous or too old? Before you blow another fuse when turning your computer on or switching on other appliances, here are some things to know from a local licensed electrician.
Frequent tripping
A major indication that there’s something wrong with your electrical system is having a fuse breaker that trips consistently. This can happen because of many things like plugging in several appliances at the same causing the circuit to overload.
Try to unplug all of your appliances then plug them back in one at a time. If the fuse continues to trip, it means that there is a problem with it. There is also the possibility of a major fault in one of your circuits. For such a case, it’s recommended to seek professional advice instead of trying to fix the wiring yourself.
Your wiring is of aluminum
Many houses constructed in the 1960s and in the early part of the 1970s used aluminum wiring rather than copper wire, which we use today. Now, electricians consider aluminum wiring safety hazards because they often become loose over time.
This can lead to overheating or worse, fires at the receptacles when you plug appliances on them. Have an XYZ local licensed electrician inspect these to determine whether the wiring are still safe or if you need to have them change. You can also choose to add copper connectors at the circuit breakers and receptacles to solve potential issues.
Very old sockets and switches
When you’re buying a house that still has old-fashioned sockets and switches, there is a strong possibility that the wiring of the house are very old too. Another indication that your home has an outdated electrical system is the presence of black rubber wiring. You can find this in houses more than 40 years old that haven’t undergone modernization. The rubber compounds become brittle with age making them potential fire hazards. You must replace these.
Smoke, sparks, and other alarming occurrences
When you see smoke coming out of one of your outlets, appliances, or along a baseboard, this is a sign of trouble. At the first sign of smoke, turn off all your appliances immediately then check for any issues. It’s also a good idea to turn the main circuit breaker off until you have identified where the smoke came from. In addition, any sizzling, buzzing, or crackling noises coming from switches, appliances, or outlets could indicate a serious issue too. Turn the power off then call an electrician right away.
You need more power
Today, most households need 200 amps to run air flat-screen televisions, conditioners, computers, and all other gadgets that we need. Not having enough power for modern living has become an inconvenience and it also causes damage to sensitive electronics.
These devices are very sensitive and any electrical surges will damage them. But even with enough power, you might still need additional outlets to avoid relying on extension cords and power strips. Call an XYZ local licensed electrician if you see any of these indications that you need to change the old wiring in your home.
