No matter how in control of your home you are, there are always areas unknown that can pose a potentially fatal risk to you and your family and should not be put to the back of your mind if discovered.
These areas should always be handled by an electrician with professional qualifications, but the warning signs can be identified by yourself with simple common sense and precaution. Conducting an electrical risk assessment is the best way to avoid health safety issues within the home.
Hot Outlets
It’s not unusual for electrical appliances to generate a certain amount of heat during use.
It is very unusual if your outlet is also getting hot, however, and will require you to immediately disconnect any plugs or power cords and not to be used until the problem can be identified. It is also the same for switch cover plates and, although they are known to gain a little warmth to the touch, dimmer switch cover plates that get uncomfortably hot.
Before installing a dimmer switch, be sure to double-check the wattage to prevent excess overheating.
Light Failures
It may be great for music videos and horror movies but a house that is experiencing lights that flicker consistently or in-consistently may be a sign of loose electrical connections.
Hopefully, it is connected to a singular light fixture and can be a straightforward procedure to fix. However, in the instance that other rooms and lights around the home are affected then it points to problems with the circuit or breaker box which would require the work of a domestic electrician to safely fix.
Older Wiring
If your home is still utilising aluminium wiring implemented in the previous century, then there is a potential that your home could be open to further risk from built-up heat that could start a fire in the home.
Aluminium wiring was replaced within residential properties to reduce this risk of oxidising exposed aluminium which leads to a large percentage of house fires. This can be achieved through either specialised connectors or even a complete home rewire, which can also eliminate other problems faced in this blog. This should be handled by either a residential or commercial electrician.
Burning Odours
Around the home, we often experience a smell of burning, from toast that gets forgotten about to pet enclosure lights heating up the surrounding wood.
In all cases, the smell of burning is a warning sign, and any unidentifiable aroma of burning should raise the alarm bells and not be ignored because you cannot find it.
If your electrical system is heating up at a rate where its plastic sheathing is melting, the risk of fire is definitely high and needs to be resolved immediately, again by approved electrical contractors.
Any risk can be averted by following instincts and using common sense, including not handling an area you are not sure of the problem at large. Contact the team at CEB Electrics for an electrical risk assessment and remove the chance of serious damage and risk to personal safety.
