Paying attention to home electrical problems is important. Noticing early warning signs is as important as these might turn into serious issues. Electrical glitches shouldn't be taken lightly. The system powering your rental property directly affects the safety of its tenants, warns tsquareproperties.net.

In this article, you'll learn about the five warning signs that give off a sure-fire signal that its time to call an electrician.

 

1.      Sparks

You need to immediately get an electrician on the property if a fuse box or breaker panel is sparking. But what if an appliance is sparking? You should get a repair person on the spot to test the appliance along with the power outlet.

A new appliance could typically be fixed or replaced under its warranty. But what if the problem is the outlet? You need to call an electrician, so it could be properly repaired.

Sparks accompanied with a popping sound may indicate a loose wire. At times, your property's outlets and switches don't spark but are hot to touch. If that's the case, then get the problem fixed before any actual sparking ensues.

2.      Flickering lights

Frequent dimming and flicking of your lights might indicate faulty wiring or your property's circuit might be chronically overloaded. Some of your energy-thirsty appliances might share power whereas they actually need their own respective circuits.

An isolated light flicker might be a problem in itself. You could check to see if that's the case by switching the lamp on an outlet that's part of another circuit. You should interpret numerous flicking lights as an important warning sign and call an electrician to assess the need for the rental property's rewiring.

3.      Burning smells

Strange, burning smells should catch your immediate attention. While most new appliances produce some strange smell for the first few times after switching on, a constant odor coming from the appliance or the outlet needs to be checked out by an expert.

Don't use an outlet when it has started to emit a funny smell. And a strong burning smell is a real emergency! Investigate where the smell is coming from, turn off and unplug any appliances connected to the outlet, and contact an electrician right away.

Electrical fires have a distinct smell of burned plastic because the wiring is insulated by this synthetic material. This kind of fire can be extremely dangerous when ignored by the rental property's tenants and landlord. There's a significant risk that the small electrical fire could set surrounding materials ablaze, resulting in a life-threatening fire.

4.      Tripping breakers

Circuit breakers and fuses are built to counter overloading by shutting down automatically. If you have a large appliance that trips a breaker when you plug it into any outlet at the property, then you can be quite sure that the appliance itself is the main suspect.

On the other hand, there are electrical problems where a particular outlet blows the same fuse regularly. This is a classic sign of an overloaded circuit. It’s best to call an expert to discuss adding new lines or making other changes to the circuit. Tripping breakers could also indicate other problems, so examining the wiring by a professional electrician is a must.

5.      Outdated wiring

Everything eventually succumbs to wear and tear in your rental property. Unexpected malfunctions might be a symptom of deteriorating electrical installations. Damaged and exposed wiring is a fire hazard that also increases the risk of electrocution.Your property may have loose wiring, internal cracks in the system, and disconnected plugs. These are especially dangerous when there are kids living in the house. Touching aged and exposed wiring is a real hazard for the little ones. That's why it's important to hire an electrician when you suspect that some parts of your wiring might be outdated and worn out.

Another fundamental issue is using counterfeit electrical products. Those that are usually purchased while on trips to countries that have lower safety standards, ordered online or even bought from local yard sales.

Don’t be fooled by really low prices. They are sold for a low price for a reason. In turn, the risks might be incredibly high. Extension cords, tabletop lamps, and toasters that are many times cheaper compared to the regular retail prices should raise your suspicion. It's better to pay a bit more and avoid the consequences!

So, what are the warning signs that you need to call an electrician?

Electrical systems can be life-threatening if they aren't properly maintained by someone with all the necessary skills and knowledge. Burning smells, frequent flicking of your lights, and a sparking breaker panel or fuse box are tell-tale signs that a visit by an electrician is right around the corner.

There's no point in waiting because seemingly minor issues could become severely dangerous. Tripping breakers and outdated electrical installations need an expert's hand too. Some issues go deeper, and some don't even result in sparking, smells, or flicking. Always call a professional even if you just suspect that your property's wiring hasn't been evaluated for over 5-10 years.

 

Contact OHM Electrical Contracting

For years we at OHM Electrical Contracting have been providing the Seattle community with excellent residential and commercial electrical service. We provide affordable inspections and troubleshoot, installation and upgrade service as well as engineering and consulting. 

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out!

OHM Electrical Contracting

620 S Orcas St Suite 80127, Seattle, WA 98108

206-678-6744