Since the electrical system of every house is typically hidden within the walls, house owners take it for granted until they encounter any serious problem. If you’re someone who has experienced a prolonged blackout, you would understand the problem here.
However, all of the problems in the electrical system of a house are not caused by catastrophic events, and some may be caused by weak electrical systems that can’t cope with the increased electrical usage at your house. This may lead to several different problems such as tripped circuit breakers and overloaded outlets etc.
With a majority of the individuals working from home during this time of the pandemic, this would be a perfect opportunity to detect signs that indicate that the electrical system requires an upgrade. For your ease and convenience, here are some of the signs that may help you decide whether or not your electrical system needs to be upgraded.
1. Flickering or Dimming Lights
The flickering or dimming of the lights in your house may tell you about several red flags regarding the electrical system of the house. To better understand the issue at hand, you would be required to categorize the behavior of the lights.
· If the lights in your house start to flicker randomly, the first thing you need to do is to notice whether the issue is faced with just one light or with numerous lights. If the issue exists with just one light, it may be because that particular light is faulty, or there may be a problem with the wiring that leads to the light.
· The lights in your house tend to become dim when you increase the load on a circuit. For instance, when you’re in the kitchen and all the lights are on, suddenly they become dim when you turn on an appliance such as the toaster.
Similarly, if you’re in your room and all the lights are on, suddenly, when you turn on your TV and gaming console, the lights become dim. If you encounter any such situation, there is a high probability that the wiring in the room can’t handle the demands on the circuit.
2. Tripping of The Circuit Breakers
The issue of circuit breakers tripping frequently is one of the most common issues faced by people who have a weak electrical system at their house.
Consider a situation where you go to the kitchen, fire up the toaster, then turn on the microwave, and boom, everything shuts off, and this happens because the main circuit breaker that controls the electricity flow to your kitchen has tripped.
You may think of a possibility to replace that particular circuit breaker as a solution to the problem. However, since you’re not a professional and are not aware of the inside wiring, it may lead to the creation of several other issues if there is a problem with wiring or it doesn’t have the power to handle a greater load. Hence, consulting a professional electrician is the best bet for you in this situation.
3. Discolored Outlets or Electrical Fire
Suppose you happen to notice any discoloration around the electrical outlets of your house. In that case, there is a high probability that your electrical system has a severe issue, and the problem needs to be resolved immediately. The issue of discoloration usually indicated that the temperature in the outlets is high. The cause behind this could be that the wires are not capable enough to carry the amount of current they are carrying, which leads them to become hot.
The discoloration is the beginning of the higher issue, electrical fire. Since the wires become very hot, they could ignite themselves and could be a reason for a fire at that particular power outlet. If a fire is initiated, it could cause high amounts of damage, and there might be a threat to your life as well.
4. Low Amperage
Suppose you live in an old house with old electrical wiring and face electrical issues frequently. In that case, it is essential for you to know that older homes were not designed to provide the necessary amperage demanded in a house of modern time. Several modern electrical appliances such as televisions, dryers, computers, etc., can put stress on old electrical systems that provide low amperage.
To save yourself from any severe damage, you need to hire a professional electrician who could inspect your electrical system and upgrade it to match your current needs.
5. Blown Out Bulbs
Depending on the brand you choose, an average bulb tends to last for approximately a thousand to two thousand hours before burning out. To maintain even lighting in your house, you may have to replace the bulbs after some specific period of time.
However, if you notice that the bulbs are not meeting their life expectancy, it may be a red flag that there may be faults in the wiring of your house.
Should You Do-It-Yourself or Not?
If you’re someone who has little knowledge regarding such problems, you may be tempted to work it out on your own instead of hiring someone to do the job. While it may be a great idea to consider this in low-level problems such as replacing a bulb or replacing a switch etc., it may turn out to be risky if the problem is complex.
Electricity is not something to play around with, and you may end up hurting yourself in several different ways. Hence, you are highly recommended to hire a professional who could inspect the problem thoroughly and professionally deal with the matter.