5 Most Common Household Electrical Issues
Electricity is something we often take for granted. It keeps us cool or warm, it illuminates our home and it provides us with a way to power our entertainment. However, it also has the potential to cause faults and destruction. For those unfamiliar with the technicalities of electricity, you may not even realise you have a fault within your home, so read our list below of common problems as well as their signs and symptoms to help keep your home safe.
#1. Electrical Surges, Sags, or Dips
In a sense similar to one another, electrical surges and dips are one of the most common household electrical problems. While surges refer to a spike in charge within power lines that increases the current to your home’s outlets, a sag or dip is a sporadic drop in electrical voltage. A surge is known to create the rapid on-off of appliances such as television whereas sags and dips are referred to as ‘brown-outs’ and are often the cause behind lights quickly dimming and regaining their brightness. All appliances can cause electrical sags and dips, especially those plugged into a faulty outlet which can easily be resolved. Unfortunately, surges are often caused by lightning strikes so there’s no stopping them, but surge protectors can defend your appliances against any surge-related damages.
Note: if you have a surge protector and notice your appliance still surges quite frequently, please contact our team at North Lakes & Surrounds Electrical on (07) 3053 3118 to have a qualified electrical inspector inspect your property and correct the problem.
#2. Dead Outlets
If an outlet in your home randomly stops working one day, do not meddle with it. A dead outlet is usually the cause of faulty wiring or its burned out. In either case, fiddling with a dead outlet can spark a fire and cause severe damage to your personal health and your home. Dead outlets should be immediately replaced by a qualified electrician.
In addition to dead outlets, a home that has too few outlets can cause a bigger problem than you might imagine. When you have too few outlets, you are often left to invest in power boards which can become a hazard when constantly powered. If you opt not to use a power board, you also face the risk of overloading existing outlets and rapidly tripping circuits.
#3. Circuit Breaker Tripping & Overload
A circuit breaker is designed to protect you and your home, so when it trips, you know it’s doing its job. But what you may not know is what is causing it to trip. High-wattage appliances like microwaves, dryers, and fridges can trip circuit breakers when other power-consuming items are used on the same source. If you experience the circuit breaker tripping, try turning any appliances that have the option onto low settings, use a substitute outlet, or alternate when each item is being used. Additionally, at North Lakes and Surrounds Electrical, we can install new power points for you and check before we leave that your property is now equipped to handle the appliances you want to use together. Give us a call on (07) 3053 3118 to find out more.
#4. Electrical Shocks
In Australia, we are fairly lucky that most electrical shocks within the home are at a low enough voltage that we don’t experience any long-term side effects and simply feel akin to a static shock. That being said, there can be some underlying causes that can lead whatever caused your electrical shock to turn into something more severe. Call our team at North Lakes & Surrounds Electrical to test your outlets.
#5. Light Bulbs Burn Out Frequently
There are a few reasons your light bulbs might burn out frequently, from too high a wattage, insulation too close to the light, bad wiring or the circuit or mains or simply a poor connection. Even a dimmer switch can be the cause of the problem. There are too many contributing factors to know for sure, so best get in contact with your local electrical at North Lakes & Surrounds Electrical today.
How do I know if my house has electrical problems?
Having electricity makes life easier, but do you know how to spot electrical issues in your home before it’s too late? Below are a few tell-tale signs that something might be amiss with your electricity’s functionality.
- Unfamiliar or funny odors
- Buzzing sounds
- Flickering lights
- Loose outlets
- Broken switches
- Hot ceiling fixtures
- Circuit breaker tripping
If you experience one or more of these in your home, call North Lakes & Surrounds Electrical today on (07) 3053 3118 and we’ll have a qualified electrician at your property to diagnose and resolve any electrical faults within your home.