9 of the Most Common Electrical Problems Homeowners Experience
There are several common electrical problems that homeowners experience. You can learn more about these issues right here.
Often, the warning signs that you have electrical problems are not loud or obvious, and you may miss some of the early tell-tale signs that you have wiring problems.
When it comes to power issues, safety is of the utmost importance. So, how do you go about safely troubleshooting home electrical problems?
In this guide, we’ll look at nine of the most common electrical issues that homeowners experience.
1. Flickering Lights
If your lights flicker, this is usually indicative of a power surge. These power surges might not come from a major event. In fact, power surges are often caused by appliances that need more power than the electrical system can give them.
Surges such as this will take their toll on both the electrical fixtures and the appliances in question.
Often, this will occur in older properties with wiring that was not designed for our modern needs. In this case, it may be time to consider replacing the wiring throughout your entire home.
2. Light Switches Not Working Properly
If you have dimmer switches for your lights that don’t work properly, this could be due to poor workmanship or inferior products.
If you have switches in your home that don’t do anything, then they may either be redundant or faulty. There could be a fault in the wiring or with the circuit.
For problems with faulty switches or dimmer controls in your home, speak with an electrician.
3. Dips in Power
If you find that your power dips throughout your home, there could be two potential causes. Firstly, the appliances that you have plugged may be substandard quality. Secondly, it could be time to renew your entire wiring.
If an appliance is drawing more power than the electrical system is able to give, this will cause issues elsewhere.
Get in touch with an electrician and see about replacing your wiring.
4. Electrical Surges
Electrical surges can be caused by all manner of things. These range from lighting strikes in your area, to damage to nearby powerlines. Inside your home, they could be caused by bad or old wiring in your home. They could also be caused by faulty appliances.
The surge itself may only last for a fraction of a second; however, if these are occurring frequently, then they may cause damage to the electrical appliances and fixtures in your home. This damage will reduce their lifespan dramatically.
It is important to try to work out what is causing the surges. If they happen frequently, then the cause is most likely an electrical item that you have plugged in or the wiring of your home itself.
Through a process of elimination, try and remove all items that you have plugged in one-by-one and see which is causing the surges. If the surges still continue, do some research and contact an electrician to have your wiring checked out.
5. Circuit Breaker Tripping
Certain high-wattage items such as microwaves can cause circuit breakers to trip, especially when multiple power-consuming appliances are in use at the same time.
A circuit breaker is there to protect your home from electrical fires. If a circuit breaker trips, this is a sign that it’s doing its job properly.
Try and work out which appliance in your home caused the circuit breaker to trip. If there is a low-power setting on the item in question, try and use that in the future. Otherwise, limit the number of high-power appliances you use at any one moment.
6. A High Electricity Bill
A high electricity bill in itself is not a sign of concern. However, if you notice your bills have shot up, but the unit cost of the electricity hasn’t risen and you’re not doing anything different, then something in your home may be using too much power.
Try to identify any electrical appliances that may be causing surges in power. This could be caused by a fault in the device or poor manufacturing.
If there are leaks in your hot water system, this could cause you to consume too much power.
Your home wiring may also be at fault. If this is the case, then you should speak with your electrician.
In the meantime, to reduce your bills, you could switch to a cheaper energy provider and switch off and unplug devices when they’re not in use.
7. Lightbulbs Burning Out Often
If you’re going through lightbulbs frequently, there could be several causes. The wattage on the bulb may be too high, or there could be bad wiring on the circuit or the mains. If you have a dimmer switch, there may be too much wattage for one switch.
Try a bulb with a lower wattage. If you are still experiencing issues, then you will require the assistance of an electrician.
8. Lights Are Too Bright or Too Dim
If you have lights around your home that are either too bright or too dim, then this may be caused by bulbs with different wattages. Check that all of the wattages on your bulbs are the same.
If this is not the cause, it could be caused by a bad main neutral connection, in which case, you’ll need to seek the help of an electrician.
9. Overloaded Circuit
If your circuit breaker is tripping often, it may be because you’re overloading the circuit.
If your home doesn’t have enough electrical sockets, you may be tempted to daisy chain power boards. This will overload your circuit. If you leave devices plugged in and switched on, even when not use, then they will still be drawing power.
Dealing With Your Electrical Problems
Troubleshooting electrical problems can be tricky, and even when you have identified the cause of the issues, you should not try and tackle any major work yourself.
For any electrical problems, you should always consult with your electrician. If you’re in the Howell or Brighton areas, get in touch with Mrs. Michael today for all of your electrical issues.
