Of all the problems that can impact your home, electrical issues arguably require the most attention, due to how dangerous they can be. After all, while an HVAC issue can leave you uncomfortable for a few hours—maybe even a few days—an electrical problem could lead to more serious hazards such as fire or electrocution. Therefore, it’s essential that you have professional electricians in Franklin, TN check the wiring of your home at least once every few years. Without this inspection, you are considerably increasing the chance of having an electrical problem.
Even with routine inspections, however, there’s always a chance that an electrical problem can happen in your home. So, it’s important that you be familiar with some of the telltale signs of an electrical problem, and contact our electricians ASAP when you see these signs.
Sign #1: Flickering Lights throughout the Home
Sure, it can be fun to joke about how your house is haunted and ignore this electrical hiccup. But neglecting this issue can be a mistake. Flickering lights are almost always caused by a short circuit in your electrical system. That being said, if it’s just one lamp or light fixture having the problem, it could be that its bulb is burning out or that particular fixture needs replacing.
If, however, it’s affecting a whole section of your home, then the short circuit is somewhere deep in your electrical system. If you find your lights flickering frequently, then it’s time to call a professional ASAP, before the problem grows any worse.
Sign #2: Hot Spots
Have you ever noticed that a light switch or random spot on the wall felt warmer than the area surrounding it? If it’s not that hot, this might not have alarmed you at all, and maybe you went on with your day without giving it another thought. But, these hot spots usually indicate points in the electrical wiring where current is flowing in a direction it shouldn’t be.
Electrical current that gets diverted to a point that it isn’t supposed to go, such as another wire or directly into the drywall, throws off energy as heat. That’s what you feel when you notice a hot spot in your home. Hot spots are an indication of a very serious breach in the electrical system—once that could potentially cause a house fire.
It’s important that you not neglect this sign. Be sure to give our pros a call as soon as you discover it. One last thing to note, however, is that dimmer switches do operate a bit differently, and will naturally be warmer than traditional on/off switches.
Sign #3: Frequent Circuit Breaker Tripping
Your circuit breaker panel protects your home from power surges. When a portion of your home’s electrical system starts carrying voltage beyond safe limits, the circuit breaker trips, and that part of the system is shut down until the problem can be remedied.
Usually, a circuit breaker will trip due to being overloaded. Unplugging a few things and then resetting the breaker is usually all that’s needed. However, if the same circuit breaker(s) keep tripping, you may have a bigger issue. Not only might you need rewiring, but you could be looking at an electrical panel upgrade as well.
At Covenant Heating and Cooling, we are “Dedicated to the Promise of Serving You.” Contact us today for superior electrical services and more.