It’s important to have up-to-date electrical outlet wiring in your home to keep your appliances and devices running efficiently, and to protect your home from harm. Poor electrical wiring is a major safety hazard, particularly if your home is more than 40 years old, or if you have outdated aluminum or knob and tube wiring.
Sometimes the signs your electrical wiring needs to be upgraded are obvious: you might notice your lights flickering more often than normal, or your outlets might have visible smoke damage. However, in many cases, you might need an expert like the team at Milton Electric to inspect your home for subtle signs your electrical wiring might need to be replaced. Things to look out for are:
Signs Your Electrical Wiring Might Need to be Replaced
Sometimes the signs your electrical wiring needs to be upgraded are obvious: you might notice your lights flickering more often than normal, or your outlets might have visible smoke damage. However, in many cases, you might need an expert like the team at Milton Electric to inspect your home for subtle signs your electrical wiring might need to be replaced. Things to look out for are:
- Tripping Circuit Breakers: If your circuit breaker keeps tripping, it’s typically a sign that you have a short circuit somewhere in your wiring. While this typically isn’t a big concern, it can become one when left unrepaired.
- Strange Sounds in the Walls: Small rodents like squirrels or mice can easily make their way into your walls, gnawing at the electrical wiring in your home and causing serious damage.
- Smoke Marks on Outlets: Smoke marks are a major concern, as it typically means your outlets are overloaded and overheating. If you notice black marks on your outlet, call an electrician immediately to reduce the fire risk to your home.
- Outlets Warm to the Touch: Like smoke marks on outlets, outlets that are warm to the touch are also major fire risks that should be repaired quickly by an expert electrician.
- Blown Fuses: This issue is common and can often be easily repaired without an expert’s help. However, if you blow fuses often, it can be a sign of a larger problem with your home’s wiring.
- Dimming Lights: Like blown fuses, this issue can be common and isn’t always a sign of major home wiring issues. However, if all the lights in your home are dim, or if some lights are dimmer than others, it might be worth having an expert electrician visit your home to ensure everything is functioning correctly.
- Frayed Wire: If you see a frayed wire in your home, call an electrician immediately. These damaged wires pose a serious risk to your home and any appliances or devices it powers.