The dangers of faulty electric wiring can prove to be fatal, but many homeowners never act on the signs they may notice, when their home is having electrical issues.
Your home’s electrical system is important, so do not wait for something to go wrong before you think about it.
All homes and properties should have fire extinguishers, and all property owners should contact a certified electrician at the first sign of an issue. This is according to Timothy Steyn of Electrician Johannesburg, who says never ignore the small signs, and be proactive at all times. It might save your life and property.
It is often easy to brush it off and dismiss small signs and faults. The contrary is true, that the issue you brush aside as being nothing, may be the thing that causes damage as minor as an appliance destroyed by a power surge, or one as great as your home or property going up in flames.
Your home’s electrical system is important, so do not wait for something to go wrong before you think about it.
Steyn shares the following signs that homeowners should look out for when something is amiss with their electrical system:
1. Flickering or blinking lights - this is a sign of poor connection in the wiring or an overloaded circuit. If there is still flickering after you have ensured that the bulb is tight or if the dimming or flickering happens often, then do not ignore this, call out a local electrician.
2. Breakers and fuses that go out regularly - circuit breakers protect properties from fire by ‘tripping’ when the circuit begins to overload. It trips when the breaker exceeds the number of amps the circuit is rated for.
If a circuit breaker goes out regularly, it may be that too many high amp appliances are plugged into a single circuit. They may blow out because the total amps plugged in are more than the breaker or fuse is rated for.
Short wiring may be the issue if the amp load is less than what the breaker or fuse is rated for. Fuses need to be replaced whenever they blow out, but a circuit breaker can be re-used.
3. Buzzing, charred or discolored outlets or switches - these are signs of an extremely bad situation and should be replaced immediately.
The problem is sometimes faulty wiring in the circuit, near to the outlet or switch, and not necessarily an issue with the switch or outlet.
It could also be a loose connection on the switch that is the cause and causes a short. The result of this is the outlet making a mini-fire that causes the surface to char or discolor.
4. Acrid smell - there is almost always an acrid smell before an electrical fire; there is also the same smell after a short that causes a brief burn.
A short can easily catch surrounding materials on fire if it is in the wall. Turn of the circuit breaker or remove the fuse for that circuit until an electrician examines the circuit.
5. Switches and outlets that shock - this is a major warning sign, it sometimes means that there is a wire in the circuit that is shorting out to the conduit enclosing the wires. If all devices are removed and replaced and there is still shocking, then the outlet or switch should be examined or replaced.
Article courtesy of www.electrician-johannesburg.com
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