The thought of a faulty electrical system in your home is enough to give anyone nightmares. The sooner you can find and fix the problem, the better. In this article, we will outline how to identify an issue with wiring and what you should do about it before it gets worse and causes serious problems.
What are some signs that my house might have faulty wiring?
When something goes wrong in our homes we often look for outside factors first – like a broken appliance or storm damage. But sometimes there’s something else lurking behind these common household troubles: faulty wiring!
Some signs that your home might have faulty wiring issues include flickering lights, inconsistent power flow, blown fuses, and sparks from outlets or switches.
Electrical power is a necessary component of every home. It powers our lights, appliances, and electronics. A faulty electrical system can turn your house from a place of comfort to a house of horrors in no time flat. To avoid this fate, it’s important to know how faulty wiring manifests itself, and what you need to do if you suspect there might be an issue with the wiring in your home.
Here are five signs that confirm the existence of electrical issues in your house.
1. Psychedelic Era Wiring
While faulty wiring may manifest in different ways, there is one type that you should be particularly on the lookout for. Psychedelic era wiring was a design style popularized during the 1960s and 70s that features bright colors and unusual patterns. While these aesthetics might look appealing at first glance, they are also indicative of faulty wiring which can lead to fires or electrical shocks over time. It’s important to recognize this unique pattern, so if it does show up then you know what needs fixing right away!
SO, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IF THERE IS A PROBLEM?
If poor electrical wiring has been found present in your home, don’t panic! There are many steps you need to take before calling an electrician out. Some of the steps include:
- Testing the faulty circuit for power by using a voltage tester to ensure that there is electricity coming through.
- Checking all of the outlets in your home with a multi-outlet tester
- Taking out any breakers and switches on faulty circuits so they don’t cause more problems.
And if you need an electrician, make sure it’s one who has been approved by an electrical contractor association such as NECA or IBEW (check here for associations) like from the Quick Spark.
2. Flickering lights: check over the connection!
Incorrect electrical wiring can sometimes manifest itself in the form of faulty lights. The most common problem is a flickering light, which indicates that there may be an issue with your connection somewhere. To fix this, you need to find and tighten any loose connections or replace any faulty switches. Fluctuation in the voltage supply from the power grids can also cause faulty lights, so you might want to check the connection from your meter box and make sure it’s tight.
3. Abrupt Blackouts: It’s just MCB tripping!
If your home has been experiencing sudden blackouts, it’s most likely that there is a faulty circuit breaker (MCB). Sometimes the problem will be intermittent, and you’ll have power for some periods of time before having another blackout. In this instance, it might just be a faulty MCB tripping or shorting out periodically. To solve the issue, try installing an external fuse to protect against any electrical surges in the system, such as thunderstorms, when repairing faulty wiring.
4. Repeated circuit breaker trips
If you find your circuit breaker trips over and over again, faulty wiring might be the culprit. This is because faulty wiring will cause a sudden surge of electricity to flow through an outlet or light fixture for instance, which can trip a breaker if it’s on too long.
5. Outlets that won’t turn ON
This could also be defective electrical wiring as outlets are notorious for being “sticky” at times when they get dirty and need replacing every now and then. Outlets should always work properly with no problems whatsoever, so just in case this isn’t faulty wiring, try flipping the switch back off after turning it on to see if anything happens.
Contact Quick Spark for a home safety inspection, electrical repair, and electrical maintenance in Australia to keep your home shine bright and safe!
