Have you ever looked at an outlet in your home and seen wisps of smoke coming out of it? If yes, then it is a sign that you most probably need to call your electrician for immediate electrical maintenance services. While a smoking outlet is not always harmful, electrical service companies recommend that you still address them as safely and quickly as possible.
Take Necessary Precautions if There is a Fire
The first thing to do is get your pets and family members to safety by having them leave the house. Electricians believe that this is important because sometimes, a smoking outlet is an indicator that there is a fire behind its wall. Basic safety measures come before any electrical maintenance.
Next, keep an eye out for excessive smoke or visible flames. If there is a fire near or in the outlet, then first put it out. If you are unable to extinguish the fire, then forget all about electrical maintenance, call the fire department and get to safety.
Turn the Circuit Off
Electrical services companies suggest that if there is no immediate danger of a fire, then you should get electrical maintenance on your outlet. Turning your circuit breaker off is a good place to start to ensure that the smoking issue does not get any worse. If you do not know which breaker connects to that particular outlet, turn them all off until your local electrician arrives.
Given that you can successfully turn off the breaker, proceed to unplug anything that has been plugged into the particular outlet. Remember, the appliance may be hot, so be careful. Take a look at the wires for any damage or corrosion to get a clue about the reason behind the smoking of the outlet. Any electrical service provider worth their name will warn you not to plug anything into the outlet again until it has undergone proper electrical maintenance.
Find the Cause
Once the damage control is done, you can proceed towards unearthing the cause. According to expert electricians, these are some major issues.
- Find the cause of the smoke by removing the cover of the outlet to look inside. Sometimes, dirt or dust causes the short circuit. However, heat can settle in over time until smoke sizzles out from the dust.
- Electrical service companies state that another popular cause of smoking outlets is overloading. This can be checked by taking a look at the amps you require to run the plugged-in items. More than 15 or 20 amps is not suggested.
- There are other common issues that lead to a smoking outlet, such as loose and corroded connections, unattached electrical wires, and faulty grounds.
Call an Electrical Service
Most of the time, smoking outlets can be easily fixable by cleaning them, replacing the wiring, or ensuring they are not overloaded. However, it is better to be safe than sorry and contact a professional electrician.
Quick Spark provides top-of-the-line electrical repair and maintenance services. They have a team of working professionals who can easily ensure that your outlet does not smoke again, nor cause any accidents in the future. Give them a call today!
