The Top 5 Most Common Electrical Problems at Home
Aloha! Today, WikiWiki Solar and Electric would like to share the top 5 most common electrical problems that are lurking in your home, along with a few thoughts on how best to address these problems before they grow into a possible emergency for you and your loved ones:
Short Circuits
There are some appliances and gadgets that are notorious for causing or tripping short circuits, particularly in older homes with older wiring: hair dryers, microwaves, etc. When this happens, go ahead and reset the circuit breaker to restore the power. If short circuits continue to occur when utilizing the same equipment, it likely suggests an issue with the appliance itself. However, shorts caused by the wiring itself across a multitude of appliances will need to be fixed by a professional.
Loose Outlets
Outlets in the home can often come loose for a variety of reasons, including being installed to an electrical box placed too far back in the wall, not being properly secured, being misused, or just aging over time. It’s possible to fix a loose outlet yourself, depending on the nature of the underlying issues. Check out this handy guide to DIY outlet repair, but always make sure to consult a qualified electrician for any concerns, or just to leave things in the steady hands of a professional.
Electrical surges
There’s no shortage of causes for this pernicious issue: from lighting strikes to a bad storm, downed power lines to faulty appliances, to overloading a circuit and faulty wiring are but a few of the myriad antecedents to frequent electrical surges in the home. While it’s true that surges typically only last a few moments, frequent occurrences can damage the electrical components of your home, creating a much larger issue and many potential hazards down the road. Make sure your outlets and power strips don’t look like this, and always consult with an electrician to get at the root of frequent surges.
Electric shocks
As we discussed in our previous blog, electric shocks are no laughing matter. They can range from the mild to the deadly and can be caused by either a faulty device or simply by bad wiring in your home. Either way, don’t turn a blind eye to the dangers of even a mild electric shock. Electricity is a powerful thing, and there’s no guarantee the shock will be mild the next time. Give us a call and get this fixed ASAP.
Light bulbs burning out frequently
Lighting can and should be a beautiful thing and is definitely an art within itself. Having said that, poor connections, improper bulbs, or bad wiring, or all the above can contribute to frequent burnouts in your light fixtures, and can lead to eventual arcing events, the precursors to possible fires. Make sure you are buying the appropriate wattage bulbs for your fixtures, and don’t hesitate to give us a ring to discuss replacing old wiring and lighting installations to something that’s much safer and aesthetically appealing.
