Call an electrician if you spot any of these 6 signs indicating an electrical fault
Over 20,000 accidental home fires are caused by electricity and electrical faults each year in the UK. Knowing the signs of an electrical fault to look out for could reduce this number hugely. Taking a more proactive approach to your electrical maintenance is vital too – ensure installations are regularly tested and maintained to avoid risks worsening. Here are some signs that indicate you need to call an electrician to your home as soon as possible.
1. Flickering Lights
Lights that are flickering or dim when in use can be a sign that there is a fault in the electrics, or it may indicate an overloaded electrical circuit. Overloading happens when certain appliances draw too much current, meaning there’s not enough power to supply both the lights and the appliance in a single electrical circuit. If this is the problem, we’ll need to install another power supply circuit, to ensure there’s a high enough voltage to power both appliances.
2. Electrical Shocks
Getting a nasty chock is never good and can only mean one thing – you’ll need to call an electrician out! The most likely cause is a short circuit in your electrical system, causing you to feel an electric shock after plugging in a device or flipping a switch. Or your electrical wiring could have become frayed or may have lost its insulation. Whatever the cause, it needs to be sorted, so call for assistance immediately after feeling a shock.
3. Discoloured or Charred Electrical Outlets and Switches
If there is discolouration or charring around your electrical outlets and switches, this could be pretty serious. This often occurs when old electrical outlets can short circuit, causing it to spark, then leading to a small fire behind the switch! Or, it could have been a loose wire in the outlet that may have caused a spark in the junction box, resulting in arcing and burn marks. It goes without saying, that your switches are due an update to ensure electrical safety if this happens at your property.
4. Buzzing Sound
Have you noticed a buzzing sound coming from a light switch or electrical outlet? This could be an indicator that there is a loose connection, or even worse, that your electrical wiring is already burnt or corroded. This is something many of us ignore, but it’s so important to get this issue seen to, to avoid the danger worsening.
5. Faulty Outlets
If you are finding that electrical devices aren’t working after being plugged into a power source, it’s time to get your sockets checked. A common cause of this, is somebody overloading the circuit, causing breakers to trip or a fuse to blow.
6. Old Property
If your home or business premises hasn’t had an electrical upgrade in the past 30 years or so, then it’s definitely time to update to the latest electrical standards. In this time, they could have become unsafe, so it’s vital that they are updated before they become any more dangerous.
Make sure to keep an eye out around your home and business for these 6 signs of electrical faults and whenever an electrical fault arises – give us a call. You can reach us on 0115 9440 594 or by sending us an email to enquiry@cjtimms.co.uk
