It’s summertime in Northern Arizona and the weather is as close to perfect as it gets. This time of year offers warm days, with highs typically floating between 80 and 90 degrees, and cool evenings, where, on an average day, the weather dips to a much cooler 50 to 60 degrees.
While this may sound envious to many, we have to deal with using a lot more electricity during the summer months than during other parts of the year. 90-degree weather is hot. Hot enough to require some use of one’s air conditioner throughout the day. And 50 for a low? That’s cold enough for many to fire up their furnaces.
With this extra demand for electricity put on your home during summer, it’s a good idea to make sure there are no underlying issues that could become hazardous. So we took the time to share some safety tips based on the most dangerous electrical issues homes, especially older ones, are known to face.
#1 Outdated Wiring
Outdated wiring is typical of old electrical systems, which can be dangerous and cause fires. The danger lies in the fact that the system can’t handle our modern demand for power.
You can tell you have outdated wiring if your lights dim when you plug in appliances, you trip fuses often, or outlets feel warm or maybe even have a buzzing sound.
Fixing this needs a professional electrician to replace all the old wires with new, standard regulation ones. This process can take a lot of time and, unfortunately, be quite costly.
#2 Undersized Electrical Panels
The problem is that when an electrical panel is too small, it can’t handle all the electricity used in a house. As with outdated wiring, this usually happens in older homes that were built when people didn’t have as many gadgets soaking up as much electricity.
If the lights flicker or the circuit breakers trip often, your panel might be too small to meet the household demand.
Fixing this means an electrician needs to replace the old panel with a more powerful one. This takes about four to eight hours to accomplish, but it makes your home exponentially safer!
#3 Lack of GFCI Outlets
A GFCI outlet is a safety electrical plug that keeps you from getting an electrical shock. It’s required in areas of the home where water is present, such as the bathroom or kitchen.
If your home does not have them, it’s an issue since you may get shocked. If you do have GFCI receptacles, they can sense electricity flowing where it shouldn’t and immediately cut the power.
You can check to see if you have them by looking to see if your outlets have two buttons in the middle. To repair or install these types of outlets, an electrician call an electrician to make sure it gets done properly.
#4 Overloaded Circuits
Overloaded circuits occur when there are too many things plugged into a single outlet (or series of wall outlets on the same circuit).
You’ll see evidence of this when your lights dim for a moment when the AC unit turns on or your breakers continually trip when making coffee in the morning.
To repair it, a professional may need to run some tests and install additional panel circuits so the electricity is more evenly distributed.
#5 Smoke & CO Detectors
Smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are extremely vital safety devices. Every home should not have one, it should have many. Occasionally, they malfunction, meaning that they will not be able to alert you if there is smoke or carbon monoxide present. The latter can be extremely deadly.
Some reasons they may not work include dead batteries, faulty wiring (if hardwired), dust or dirt within the detector’s sensor, or they might simply be old (they have a shelf-life). In order to detect issues, each unit should be tested regularly by ensuring that they beep when the test button is pressed.
If they do not sound or are older than 10 years, they need to be replaced. For non-wired models, repairing the issue could be as easy as replacing the batteries or cleaning off the sensor. However, wired models that are faulty may require an electrician to replace.
#6 Damaged Outlets & Switches
Damaged switches and outlets are a nuisance. This usually happens when they are used extensively, hit hard by something, or are extremely old.
You can notice they are damaged, sometimes visually with a crack on the plate, when they fail to work upon plugging something into the wall outlet, turning on a switch and nothing happens, when they smell or make noise, or when they are letting off heat.
To repair this, an electrician must switch off the power, remove the old switch or outlet, and install a new one. This may take a couple of hours, but the job is a minor one.
#7 Improperly Modified Wiring
If a person alters wiring in a building or home incorrectly, it can be a serious safety concern. What’s worse is that a handyman wiring job may have been commissioned by the previous owner, leaving the current homeowners oblivious to the danger.
If wires have been incorrectly run through your house, you might notice lights flickering or fuses tripping repeatedly.
Finding the issue and correcting it can be very labor-intensive. A professional electrician must inspect all the wires, identify those that are incorrect, and rewire or repair them.
Call Us Today for a Full Electrical Inspection of Your Property
As you can see, there are a number of different ways things can go south due to electricity in your home. Summertime means more strain on your home’s power. This can lead to minor annoyances, such as lights flickering or circuits being tripped. Or electrical problems can lead to bigger concerns, including fire and electric shock.
Keep yourself and your family safe with a service call from Northern Arizona Electrical Solutions. Whether you have known electrical problems or simply want peace of mind, we’re happy to assist.
Click or call today to schedule an appointment.
