Introduction to Spotting Faulty Electrical Switches

Electrical problems are unavoidable; any homeowner can attest to this. Newer home have the luxury of avoiding many of the electrical problems that happen when homes are older, but that doesn’t mean newer homes are entirely in the clear. We’ve learned more than our fair share about electrical issues from personal experience, and one thing we wanted to share with you today was that you can spot faulty electrical switches pretty easily if you know what to look for. You should look for the following signs so you can avoid possible unfortunate circumstances. Share this information with those you know, as well – an informed homeowner is a safe and happy homeowner.

Look for breakers and fuses going out.

To help protect your home from fire, you should take note if your breakers and fuses go out. Fuses need to be replaced whenever they “go out”, so it’s important to pay attention to them. If too many higher amp applications are plugged into a single circuit, the fuse will probably blow out, because the number of amps that’s plugged into the breaker is too high for it to handle. If you spot this in your home, or in anyone else’s home, you are a step ahead of the game. You can easily prevent a fuse from blowing by unplugging something.

Look for dimming or flickering lights.

Both of these are signs of a circuit overload. If you see this on a regular basis in your home, you may want to call in an electrician to check it out. This might be something that only a professional can handle, and you don’t want to put yourself at risk.

Look for charred or discolored outlets and switches.

If you spot either one of these, you definitely need to call in an electrician. This is a sign that there is faulty wiring in the circuit, or a loose connection on the switch that is causing a short. This can cause a fire and can be very dangerous.

Be aware if there is a burning smell.

If you smell burning, it might be best to step out of your home and call a professional right away. This is always because of some kind of short, but you won’t know where’s its location unless you call in a professional. In some cases, the short might be in one of your outlets, but that’s not something that you should investigate on your own. You should always put your safety first in a situation like this.

Be aware of shock effects by faulty electrical switches and outlets.

If this happens, that’s a definite sign of a faulty electrical switch. Sometimes, the solution might just be something simple, like fixing a wire in the circuit shorting.

If you have any questions, you can contact us a Wire Craft Electric. We’re happy to help.