Nobody loves an electrical hazard. Whether it’s just a little shock from a plugged appliance or an electrical fire, electrical accidents are things to be prevented at all cost. This is why keeping an eye out for signs that hint at these potential disasters is very important. Below are 6 of those signs that tell you beyond any reasonable doubt that you need an electrical contractor.
Sudden and Reoccurring Dimming and Brightening of Light Bulbs
Your light bulb is supposed to produce light at a consistent brightness and intensity. It shouldn’t flicker or flash or produce any inconsistency for that matter. When inconsistencies like this happen, that’s a very good sign that something somewhere is wrong.
Some times the fault is something small ─ the lamp holder has depreciated to a point where it is no longer reliable, or the light bulb itself is bad. Changing the lamp holder or bulb respectively should solve the problem in such cases. Other times, however, the problem is more complicated than that, one that would require the expertise of an emergency electrician to fix. In cases like this, contacting an emergency electrician is your best bet.
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Constant Tripping Of Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers were designed to trip. That is what they were installed to do. When too much current is supplied into a circuit, the circuit breaker trips in other to prevent lasting damage from being done to the circuit and the devices connected to it. So a circuit breaker tripping one in a while is no real reason to panic. When this starts becoming an occurrence that happens constantly though, that’s as good a sign as any that something is very wrong.
This frequent tripping can be the result of plugging heavy appliances to circuits not designed to carry such heavy load. In cases like that, reducing the load on your circuit before plugging this appliance should solve the issue. Other times though, tripping circuit breakers are caused by problems with the circuits themselves. In cases like this contacting an electrician near you is the best choice.
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Electrical Shocks from Appliances and Outlets
An electrical shock is NEVER a good sign. In fact, it’s one of the biggest, most noticeable signs that it is high time you get an emergency electrician RIGHT AWAY. It doesn’t matter how small the shock might be. If you get shocked by a device, appliance, or even outlet, something has gone very wrong electrically.
Sometimes the problem isn’t really with your building’s wiring. Sometimes it’s with the appliance that shocked you. Other times, it’s might just be that the insulating covering of wire has been damaged and some naked wire is coming in contact with one conducting material or the other. It doesn’t really matter. Electrical shocks are extremely dangerous and should be treated straight away. The moment you notice or even SUSPECT the possibility of an electric shock, contact and emergency electrician near you right away.
Sparks or Smoke Coming Out of Outlets
Just like electric shocks, sparks flying around or smoke coming off an electrical outlet or appliance are not normal. They are yet another sign that something is incredibly wrong somewhere.
It this is only noticed at a single outlet or from a single device, it is likely that the problem is an isolated one. If you have any experience with dealing with electrical circuits and appliances, you can try to do some DIY diagnosis to the affected area if you are confident in your ability to get the job done. If not, however, please contact a professional electrician near you.
If the problem is observed in more than one outlet, however, that can be a sign that the wiring in the area has developed some serious fault. In cases like that, we advise that you contact an electrical contractor right away.
Signs of Burning Wires
If there is one electrical fault that should scream at you to get an emergency electrician right away, it is a burnt electrical wire. Along with electrical sparks, burnt wires cause the majority of electrical fires in Australia. This is why any sign of a burnt wire should never be taken lightly.
By signs of burnt wires, this isn’t limited to just seeing a burnt wire. It also includes smelling and even suspecting that an electrical wire is burning. At the very first sign that a wire is likely burning, contact an emergency electrician.
Warm or Discoloured Power Switches
Electrical wires are not the only parts of electrical appliances and circuits that can get burnt. Sometimes the burning starts from within the power switches of devices. When this happens the affected power switches usually become much warmer than they usually would be or even turn brown. When you notice any of these signs, that’s a good hint that you need an electrical contractor to check out your electric circuit.
There you have it, the 6 biggest signs that you need an electrical contractor to take a look at your building. So, now that you know, why not check out your building to see if you notice any of these signs. Find any of them? Let us know and we’d have our emergency electricians heading to fix the issue in no time!