Lives wires are a risky business. Dead wires are still risky. In these opening stages we must insist, never tamper with your own wiring – you may think you know what you’re doing, what could happen and how to handle it. You don’t. Electricity is a brutal and powerful force that takes no prisoners if something goes awry. And if you’re nosing around in your household wiring without industry training, it probably will.
Now we have that out of the way, we’ve put together three common signs your dream home has a wiring problem – it’s better to pick up these issues before you purchase, but if it’s too late and you’ve already signed the line, here’s what you’re dealing with. The best way to fix all of these issues? Contact Bevan Robinson Electrical.
Wiring Shorts
You may have noticed when something goes wrong in your circuitry, the whole section shuts down, like an element blowing on an electrical cooktop. If your home was built in the last fifteen years, it’s very likely it has a circuit breaker very much like this – older homes are fitted with fuse boxes. You can easily turn everything back on at the circuit breaker and very often, it won’t happen again. But if these shut downs are a frequent feature of your day or night, it could be sign of a serious problem in the circuitry. And no, turning it off and on won’t fix it. A potential consequence of this is a house fire. Be safe and get it checked.
Horror Movie Lights
Do you feel like you’re living in a haunted house or slasher flick? Do your lights flicker incessantly, causing your stomach to turn over? Older homes are notorious for flickering light syndrome, as they weren’t built to withstand so many modern appliances – multiple computers, TVs, fridges, washing machines, microwaves, lamps, phone chargers and more – we know how to overload our outlets. If fixtures give you the speedy on/off treatment consistently, it’s time to speak to an electrician and maybe schedule an upgrade.
You Can’t Touch This
If your lights or fixtures buzz, shock, vibrate or burn you whilst being switched on, plugged in, used or unplugged, you have a problem. There could one wire spoiling it for all wires, or it could be many compounding the problem, leading to bigger, more dangerous issues later. Char marks or dead outlets are serious give away signs of an underlying issue – never try and fix it yourself.
Be safe, be secure and remember, always ask questions about the wiring before buying a home. Ask to see reports and get a qualified electrician out to test the premises before it becomes yours. If it is already yours, stay on top of small issues now and guard against life threatening ones later.