There were more than 360,000 residential fires in the United States, causing billions of dollars in property losses, injuries, and deaths.
The leading cause of residential fires was an electrical malfunction. You may want to DIY electrical projects to save money, but you can end up in a dangerous situation.
You could end up with a house fire, rebuilding costs, and so much more.
How do you know which projects require electrician services?
Keep reading to discover five signs it’s time to hire an electrician.
1. Old Wiring
Electricians say that if your home is more than 20 years old, it can use a wiring update.
Technologies and how we use electricity change over time. Building codes change, too.
Old wiring could put your home outside of today’s building codes. Get into compliance as soon as you can and work with an electrical contractor.
2. You Use Too Many Extension Cords
Do you have one extension cord plugged into an extension cord that’s plugged into another extension cord?
The wired jungle can create a fire hazard and overload your circuits. It’s a sign that you don’t have enough electrical outlets in your home to handle all of your devices.
This is common in older homes with few outlets. They weren’t built for TVs, computers, phones, and streaming devices.
Hire an electrician and you’ll get the outlets you need to handle your electric demands.
3. Flickering Lights
Experiencing flickering lights isn’t a sign that there are ghosts in the house. It means that you have low voltage somewhere in the home.
Dim lights, flickering lights, and appliances that take a while to turn on are all signs of low voltage. Get an electrical contractor to look at your wiring and repair the issue.
4. Blown Fuses
In some homes, you can’t turn on two appliances at the same time or they’ll trip a fuse. Believe it or not, this is a sign of a fire hazard.
You have two appliances running on one circuit when they should have separate circuits. Take care of the issue immediately and have an electrician install a new main panel.
If you want to learn more about main panel installations, click here.
5. Overheating and Shocks
There are certain signs that show sockets are overloaded. The first is a hot socket. An extreme case is seeing melted outlet covers and burned wood around the outlet.
The second is getting shocked when you touch an appliance or switch. You’ll want to shut down the current flowing to overloaded outlets.
These are things that require electrician services. They’ll check the flow of electrical current through the home and diagnose the issue.
Knowing When to Hire Electrician Services
More homeowners enjoy doing housework and home projects themselves. They save money and get satisfaction from doing the work themselves.
As much as you enjoy doing these projects yourself, it’s best to leave some projects in the hands of electrician services.
If you experience any of the issues listed in this article, hire an electrician right away. Click on the Lifestyle tab at the top for more home improvement tips.
