Did you know that in the U.S. alone, over 50,000 home electrical fires occur yearly? Many of these incidents result from electrical distribution systems. That’s why it’s imperative to address electrical problems you experience at home ASAP.
To that end, we created this guide on the top indications of electrical issues. Read on, as they can help determine if you should prioritize hiring an electrician.
1. Blackouts Affecting Specific Areas of Your Home
Inside your electrical panel are circuit breakers designed as safety switches. Their chief function is to cut the power flow when anomalies, such as circuit overloads, occur. This process, known as “tripping,” protects electrical circuits from excessive current.
Thus, when circuit breakers trip, they cause some parts of your home to lose electricity. The result is a blackout that affects only specific areas or rooms in your house.
Lightning strikes can cause electrical surges and trigger circuit breakers to trip. These are common in Texas, with 42 million reported strikes in 2021 alone.
However, breakers that keep tripping are more often due to electrical faults in a system. These include circuit overloads, short circuits, or ground faults. These are dangerous electrical wiring problems that can cause fires.
So if your circuit breakers trip frequently, please hire a licensed electrician ASAP.
2. Fishy Odors or Acrid Smells
Suppose you’ve plugged in a vacuum cleaner to get some home maintenance and cleaning done. However, a few minutes later, you get a whiff of something fishy or acrid.
A fishy smell can signal an overheating electrical component that’s about to burn. It can also indicate an electrical fire that has just begun.
On the other hand, an acrid odor can originate from burning plastic electrical parts. These include the coating and insulation materials in cables or wires. Outlet covers and circuit breakers also have plastic components that can burn.
Turn off and unplug everything as soon as you smell those odors.
Then, go to your electrical panel and listen for hissing or sizzling sounds. If there’s none, switch off all the breakers. If there is, please don’t touch anything, as you might get shocked.
Either way, call an electrician immediately for help.
3. Electrical Shocks
Do you get a painful shock whenever you touch a receptacle or plug something into an outlet? If so, that indicates problems with the wiring, such as frayed, loose, or aging wires. Water-damaged electrical components may also cause electrical shocks.
Electrical shocks don’t always cause visible injuries, but they can be painful. If they cause trauma, they can be superficial to severe burns. They may even raise your risk of developing heart, nerve, and psychological problems.
Please stop using electrical outlets that have shocked you more than once. Instead, call an electrical maintenance and repair service as soon as possible.
Never Delay Repairs for Electrical Problems
As you’ve learned in this guide, frequently tripping breakers often indicate electrical problems. So do fishy or acrid smells, hissing or sizzling sounds, and electrical shocks.
Please call a licensed electrician as soon as you notice those signs. This way, the expert can fix what’s causing them and prevent injuries and electrical fires.
If you suspect your North Dallas home has electrical issues, our team here at White Electric can help. Call us now, and we’ll be happy to diagnose and fix all your electrical woes.
