Behind every modern home, the driving force is electricity, supplying power through appliances, wiring, and computer networks in many homes. Most of us probably don’t remember a day without the convenience of electricity and rely on it for most of our daily activities. One of the scariest things is having electrical failure, which sometimes is inevitable.
When this happens, it can complicate many things, like causing damage to electrical appliances or posing a risk to lives and the property. There are many electrical issues that we should be are off and mitigate any hazard threats. One of the most evident indications that you may have electrical problems includes flickering lights and excessively high electricity bills. However, here are the most common household electrical problems you can look out for.
Surges
One of the easiest ways to identify electrical faults with your home electric system surges. Surges generally occur when there is a high-voltage disruption in the distribution of power around the house. When you experience a surge, lights strike at lightning speed, potentially damaging any electronic devices and cables connected.
In the event of a surge, remove the connected device from the power sockets as soon as possible. The surges should stop when disconnected, however, should a surge persist, consider calling an electrician to make a diagnosis.
Frequent Bulb Burnouts
Light bulbs have an average life span, and you have a rough idea of how long your bulbs last. If you notice that your light bulbs aren’t last half as long, as usual, you should assume an underlying electrical problem. Bulbs burn out quickly due to a few reasons, like having improper air circulation, more wattage on a dimmer switch, poor wiring, high voltage, and many more.
Before seeking professional assistance, you can check to see if the light bulb holder is not loose or too tight. Should everything seem normal, yet you keep running through lightbulbs, call an electrician to help fix your electrical issues.
Backstabbed Outlets
Backstabbing outlets was one of the most popular ways of wiring in the 70s and 80s, not so much these. The process of shortcutting and forcefully connecting wires from the back of the socket is dangerous to your home. Backstabbing is generally unstable wires, which have caused damages to outlets, interrupting power, and causing electrical fires. Electricians avoid using this wiring method at all costs, and should you find one in your home, call a professional electrician immediately; chances are, there’s more.
High Electricity Bills
There’s nothing more frustrating than an excessive electricity bill, and you have no idea how it got so high. There are a few electrical faults that can explain why your electricity bill is so high. Your power supplier may not be of book value, electrical system leakage, outdated devices consume more energy, or you have a damaged wire circuit.
A professional electrician should be your first call as soon as you experience electricity bill abnormalities. You will most likely have to upgrade your electrical system and wiring, saving you tons of money in the long run.
Tripping Circuit Breaker
One of the most common and easy to identify electrical faults is a tripping circuit breaker. When high-power-consuming appliances are plugged in, and when you try to plug in a microwave, or a toaster, the power trips. A tripping circuit breaker is not always bad; however, there are other causes of power trips; when screws are loose in the terminal connection, ground fault, short circuit, or an overloaded circuit.
To lighten the power load in a circuit, try to limit the number of appliances connected or lower your device settings. If the circuit trips persist, you may need to resort to professional assistance and possibly change your federal pacific breakers.
No RCCB
A Residual Current Circuit Breaker is one tool to help indicate electrical faults like a current in a particular spot. The device detects a low voltage circuit and is designed to prevent it. When the device detects a leakage, it immediately cuts off the power supply to the device. Although this isn’t an electrical problem, the RCCB is a worth mentioning and crucial device to have in your home to help detect and mitigate electrical issues.
Sags and Dips in Power
Very similar to surges, sags and dips often occur due to a faulty power grip, in which electrical devices are connected. The difference between these faults lies in the materials used; for example, cheap power grids with not have the capacity to handle the amount of power exerted through them when you turn your switches on. When it happens, it is referred to as sags and dips repeatedly. Your power control device will eventually wear off. An electrician can investigate your light and power use and recommend ways to improve it.
Flickering Lights
Flickering lights in the house should be taken as a warning sign and attended to without delay. If not dealt with accordingly and promptly, this electrical problem can escalate very quickly. This is an excellent indication of possible overheating, fire, arcing, and faulty connections.
Light Switches Not Working Properly
When your light is overridden, the on/off function starts to work strange ways, and if you’ve experienced this, it usually results in a buzzing or rattling sound inside the switch box. The last thing you want to do is delay replacing the switch because, at this point, it can cause severe damage to the electrical system. Another great indication you need to change your light switch is when the switch shocks you when you touch it. Avoid doing it yourself and call a qualified electrician.
Electrical Shocks
One of the most dangerous electrical problems is electrical shocks. These shocks generally happen spontaneously when turning devices on or off. Although sometimes the problem may only be with the device, many electrical shock cases involve faulty wires; dangerous and life-threatening. The best way to mitigate electrical shock issues is to call a professional electrician to run a diagnosis and repair the fault accordingly. Even if you are a DIY enthusiast, this kind of task can be risky.
