Top Signs You Need An Electrician | Wilmington, NC
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Before you call an electrician in Wilmington, NC, you must first figure out if your house needs electrical services. We will discuss the top signs that you are in need of an electrician. A faulty electrical system can pose many hazards to both you and your home. There are dangers in not responding to an electrical problem, such as fire hazards and the possibility of electrical equipment to short circuit. Furthermore, unaddressed electrical issues can and will devalue your property, be it a home or a business. Wiring problems pose a danger to both you and your family and should be addressed right away. Before you hire an electrical service you need to be able to see the warning signs that you are in dire need of an electrical professional. Here are the top signs that your home needs to hire an electrical service.
Flickering Lights
This might seem to the average person to be nothing more than a minor issue or annoyance, but rest assured it is far more than that, furthermore, it could be outright dangerous. Flickering lights can happen due to a variety of reasons. Oftentimes it is due to a wiring problem in the light fixture itself, but if all the lights flicker in your house this is a sign of a serious electrical issue that needs to be addressed right away. Chances are that your circuit breaker needs servicing. You likely have an appliance that is drawing too much power from your system, more power than your current system is capable of supplying, leading to the lights flickering under the stress applied to your electrical system. If this issue is not addressed it could cause a dangerous overload on your system, which in turn can cause a nasty electrical fire. This is not something you want to mess with. This issue is common with older homes and business properties in Wilmington, NC, leading many to call an electrician to upgrade the electrical panel to a 150 or 200 amp service. Call Mister Sparky of Wilmington today to learn more or to see if you do indeed need an electrician to address your flickering lights.
Tripping Circuit Breakers
If your circuit breakers are tripping often, you likely need to call an electrician. This event happens when your system is drawing more power through the wires than the system can handle. If you have an older home or business this can be a common issue due to having an outdated system. You may need to upgrade your home’s electrical system in this situation as modern-day appliances draw more power than many older homes are capable of supplying. Your circuit breaker to put it simply is overloaded by too many appliances drawing too much power at once. You should take it to an electrician to see if upgrading your circuit breaker will help in this situation or in a worst-case scenario that your home needs a complete rewiring.
Hot Outlets
If your outlets are hot or warm to the touch this is an indication of a serious electrical hazard that needs to be addressed right away by a licensed electrician. We cannot stress this enough, it is not a minor issue you are dealing with here. If your outlets are warm or hot to the touch then you likely have a wire on the inside of the outlet that is heating up, which is an imminent fire hazard. You need to have that outlet examined right away. If this problem occurs only when a specific appliance is plugged in then chances are that the appliance needs its own dedicated circuit capable of handling its power load. Your service professional will advise you on what needs to be done.
You Have a Fuse Box
If you are still rocking a fuse box in 2021, it is time for an upgrade. While fuse boxes worked well in the past, they are outdated for today’s power needs. Most fuse boxes are in fact dangerous due to their advanced age as well as wear and tear. Many fuse boxes we find in older homes were also rigged to provide more power to the system than they were designed for, which is also a danger. The reason this is a danger is that it can actually cause a fire as these fuse boxes were never intended to provide the increased power the rigged boxes supply. You should replace a fuse box with a circuit breaker as soon as possible. Your service professional can inspect your fuse box and recommend how to proceed after evaluating it.
Your Wiring Is Not Grounded
If your outlets are not grounded, you are dealing with a serious issue. Older homes and businesses tend to have electrical systems that are not grounded. Outlets that are not grounded will be two-prong outlets. Using an adapter is not recommended as this can lead to an electrical fire as these outlets were not designed to handle the increased power that is required for a three-prong appliance. If your outlets are not grounded you also run the risk of electrical shock when trying to plug in a three-prong device. Contact an electrician today at Mister Sparky of Wilmington to inspect your outlets and perform any needed outlet upgrades in your home.
Lack of GFCI Outlets
GFCI outlets are a modern safety system for electrical systems. These ground fault circuit interrupter outlets or GFCI’s have a button that will reset your circuit if it shuts down. The GFCI monitors your power flowing to and from your outlets and if the power flow is too high, it shuts down the circuit in an instant. These outlets also prevent the risk of electrical shock. This is especially true in areas of your home where moisture is present, such as the bathroom, kitchen, and basement. GFCI outlets are a standard issue in newly built homes and are part of the revised electrical building code. If you lack GFCI outlets, contact Mister Sparky of Wilmington, NC today to inquire about upgrading your outlets. It is rather simple in most cases to upgrade these outlets.
If you have any of the above issues, do contact Mister Sparky of Wilmington today and we will send out a friendly licensed electrician as soon as possible to solve your issue. We can also answer any electrical questions you may have.