Irrespective of how old your home is, an electrical problem always has an indicative warning sign before it becomes a full-scale catastrophe. Knowing how to diagnose these warning signals in advance will help avoid a dangerous situation – where you or a member of your family may be exposed to electrocution. In some cases, major electrical faults can even damage an entire property – resulting in costly repairs in damage later. If you troubleshoot these issues in advance, you will know to call the electrician, like those at Urban Electrical Contractors, for professional repairs without your home's electrical faults causing permanent damage. Here are some warning signals of impending electrical failure.
Recurrent Shocks When Operating Electrical Devices
If you notice a small shock when crossing a carpet area, it may simply be static electricity – this is a common occurrence in winter and isn't any cause for worry. If you feel a tingle or shock when touching any electrical appliance, it could be an indicator of a ground fault or improper wiring. This type of electrical shock can be dangerous if left unchecked for long, so call in the electrician to prevent this risky situation from getting worse.
Flickering Lights and Overheated Ceiling Fixtures
Occasionally, check your ceiling light fixtures – if you notice that they are unusually warm, they may not be well insulated. Excess heat build-up on ageing incandescent bulbs could lead to potential fire hazards. You may want to switch your lighting fixtures to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) – these bulbs don't produce the amount of heat that incandescent bulbs do.
If your lights flicker often, it may be due to a loose or defective light bulb. Try replacing the bulb – if it doesn't solve the flickering light problem, you may need to get in touch with a professional electrician. The fault may lie inside the lighting fixture, such as loose wiring or wobbly electrical panels. This diagnosis is almost impossible for you to do on your own, so get in touch with an electrician as soon as you notice your lights flickering – to diagnose and fix the problem before it causes extensive damage.
Loose or Broken Switches
Light switches that work sporadically may be because of loose or cracked switches. If the plug in the switch is loose, it may work only on certain occasions when you turn the switch on, but in other instances it won't work at all. Sometimes loose or broken switches may even cause minor shocks when switched on. If you notice a problem with any of your light switches, you may want to get a professional electrician to inspect and replace your switches.
If you try to fix these problems on your own, you may risk the possibility of getting a shock. Make sure you consult with a professional electrician for fixing electrical problems safely.
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