Do You Need Electrical Repairs in Oakdale, CA? Here Are Five Signs of Trouble with Your Home’s Electrical Wiring

Electrical malfunctions are responsible for thousands of house fires each year. Many can be prevented, but how can you tell if you need electrical repairs in Oakdale, CA? Here are five signs that point to possible issues with your home’s electrical wiring:

• Flickering lights: Are some of the lights in your home flickering or dimming? Since light fixtures in most American homes don’t draw much power, this particular issue likely has nothing to do with the fixture itself. The usual suspects in these cases tend to be energy hogs, namely large appliances—like washing machines, clothes dryers, HVAC systems and even space heaters—that feed off the same circuit. For instance, the light fixture in your dining room may flicker when the washing machine is running because the washer is drawing a lot of current to heat the water.
• Sparking: You don’t ever want sparks to come from your electrical outlets or devices. Call an electrician right away if a fuse box, breaker panel or wall outlet is sparking. Appliances and devices that are sparking are trying to send a signal that something is wrong with the item itself, not with your home’s electricity. See if the appliance is still under warranty or within the return window, or call a repair company to send a technician out to test the appliance and possibly the outlet in question.
• Buzzing sound: Because your home’s electricity is supposed to flow smoothly and quietly from one connection to another, you shouldn’t be able to hear the electricity in your house—that is, unless things are not working properly. Issues like loose outlets and prongs or frayed wires can cause electrical currents to jump, making a buzzing sound at the same time. If you can identify the outlet that’s buzzing, stop using it and call a same-day electrician.
• Strange odors: Both big and small brand-new appliances may put off an odor when powered up the first few times, but strange odors should never come from an electrical outlet. If a funny odor is emanating from an outlet, turn it off, unplug everything from it and don’t use it again until a licensed electrician inspects it. On the other hand, call an electrician immediately if a strange odor is coming from inside the breaker box.
• Outlets or switch plates are hot to the touch: Although household appliances like space heaters, toaster ovens, hair dryers and televisions are meant to produce heat, the outlets they are plugged into aren’t. It’s not unusual for electric current to heat up a switch plate and make it warm to the touch, but the outlet shouldn’t become too hot. Turn off the device that’s plugged into it and try it in another outlet. Does the outlet heat up without anything plugged in? You may be looking at a wiring issue.

Reach out to the team of certified electricians at Wilkinson Electric Inc. for prompt and reliable residential electrical repairs in Oakdale, CA. Call to schedule an appointment anytime!

Categorised in: Electrical Repairs

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