Homeowners who purchase older homes may worry about asbestos, lead, and other potentially harmful substances over time. Although asbestos and lead can both cause great harm to your children and pets, so can an old electrical system. The wiring, wall sockets, and fuses in old homes can be outdated, worn out, or even rotted. If you don't check your home's electrical system soon, you may encounter dangerous problems with it later. Here are two electrical problems your old home could have right now.
Abnormal Odors in Your Home
Believe it or not, electrical wiring can smell when it burns or becomes extremely hot. If the wiring running through your walls, ceiling, floors, and electrical outlets are worn out or frayed, they can overheat, spark fire, or burn out. The wires will eventually become hot enough to burn or catch fire. The burning wires will create abnormal odors in home.
If you suddenly smell strange odors in your home, turn off the power immediately. Call an electrician right away and have them check your home for:
- Frayed or chewed wiring throughout the house, including the garage and basement
- Discolored electrical outlets in every room, including the air conditioning closet
- Overheated light switches and fixtures
If an electrician finds any of the hazardous conditions above, they'll take the appropriate actions to repair them. In addition to abnormal odors in your home, abnormal power fluctuations can also indicate a problem with your electrical system.
Frequent or Multiple Power Fluctuations and Flickering Lights
If you experience frequent power fluctuations, flickering lights, and other strange happenings in your home, even at night, you should contact an electrician right away. There could be a problem hidden somewhere inside your electrical system.
A number of things can cause frequent power problems in your home, including poor or weak wiring. The wiring may not be structurally equipped to handle large loads during the day. The excess strain placed on your electrical system might cause some fixtures and appliances to flicker, flash, or shut off unexpectedly.
In order to find the cause of your power problems, an electrician will need to:
- Check your electrical panel box for burnt terminals or blown fuses
- Test the wall outlets in your living room, kitchen, and bedrooms for low voltage
- Test the light sockets and fixtures in your ceilings for burns and loose connections
An electrical contractor may repair the issues above in a timely and safe manner.
If your old home repeatedly experiences strange odors or power problems, call an electrician and get the repairs and electrical maintenance you need today.
Does anyone really hold more power than an electrician? They bring power to your home, make sure it travels to the right appliances, and also make sure it does not harm you in the process. Their jobs are more intricate than most homeowners understand. Every day, they put themselves at risk of shock, but they know just what precautions to take to stay safe.
If you are a homeowner, at some point or another, you are going to have to hire an electrician. We created this website to give you a little more insight into their job, the projects they can handle, and what it's like to hire them.