Understanding The Basics Of Electrical Repair In Your Home
Posted on: 21 April 2021
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Household electrical problems can run the gamut from a minor annoyance to a serious safety threat. Understanding the difference can be difficult sometimes, so it's important to familiarize yourself with some of the most common issues. Here's a look at some of the things that you should understand about electrical repair in your home and when you should reach out to an electrician for help.
Breaker Tripping
Your home's circuit breaker system is designed to regulate the flow of electricity in your home and ensure the safety of the electrical circuit. Almost every homeowner experiences a tripped circuit at some point, but it should be a rare occurrence.
If, on the other hand, you're experiencing tripped breakers on a regular basis, that's a cause for concern. When you have breakers tripping regularly, that's an indication that you have an excess demand on your electrical circuit, a possible short in the wiring, or an electrical arc somewhere in the wiring. You may also experience frequently tripped breakers if you have a bad ground in the wiring.
In any case, when you notice frequent breakers tripping, you need to call an electrical repair technician. They can test the problem circuits to identify the source of the issue and fix it.
Burnt Light Bulbs
Burnt-out light bulbs are a fact of life, but they shouldn't be a regular occurrence. Light bulbs should last for a year or more, depending on the type of bulb. If you're finding that you have light bulbs burning out much faster than that, it's an indication that something isn't right.
Light bulbs can burn out for a variety of reasons. You may have simply gotten a bad batch of bulbs. If you buy new bulbs and still find that you're going through them quickly, that's an indication that you probably have a wiring problem that's causing a surge on the bulb.
Check the fixture to be sure that it isn't loose. The actual light receptacle should be secure, and the bulb itself should be as well. If that's the case and you're still seeing frequent burn-outs, reach out to an electrician for help.
Electrical Sparks
Whether it's from light switches or electrical outlets, any kind of sparking should be addressed immediately. Unfortunately, many homeowners overlook subtle sparks from outlets when they plug things in or unplug them. Those sparks are a sign that there's electricity arcing inside the fixture. This could pose a risk for an electrical fire if you don't address it. When you see signs like this, you should call an electrician right away to inspect the fixture.