We often ensure our home is safe and secure for our little families; by locking it, having carbon monoxide monitors and keeping it clean of potential infections etc. However, one thing that may not be on our radar as much are electrical faults – these are dangerous and have the potential to cause electric shocks, extreme heat and even fires. If you want to make sure that your home is a safer place to live, then it’s important to regularly check your appliances for signs of electrical faults and then act quickly if you notice anything that seems unsafe.
Following are things to be aware of to help you to ensure your home is a safer place for you and your family and to give you peace of mind.
Sparking
One of the most obvious signs that your electrical appliance is faulty is visible sparks. If you notice any sparking, you should immediately turn the appliance off at the wall, unplug it where possible and contact an electrician. Do not use the appliance again until it has been tested by a trained professional.
Buzzing Sound
You might think that a humming or buzzing sound is quite normal for electrical items, but in most cases it is an indication of a fault. If an electrical appliance is of a good standard and is working correctly, then you shouldn’t be able to hear any noise at all.
Buzzing or humming noises can be caused by loose connections or frayed wiring, and is a sign that electricity isn’t travelling fluidly between connections like it should be.
Odours
While it’s not unheard of for new appliances to produce a strange smell the first time they’re used, if the smell persists, then it may signal that there’s some kind of electrical fault at play. Once again, odours can be a sign of a pretty serious fault, so you should switch off and unplug your electrical item, and refrain from using it until it has been checked by an electrician.
Flickering Or Dimmed Lights
I’m sure everybody has the memory of sitting under an irritating flickering light, but while flickering lights might be common, they’re actually likely to be a sign of an electrical fault. Since light fixtures only draw a small amount of power, flickering or dimming is much more likely to be caused by issues with something that’s been powered with the same circuit.
An electrician may be able to move your lighting to a different circuit, away from the appliance that’s hogging all of the power, or move the major appliance onto its own line.
Frequent Blown Fuses
A fuse trips as a safety measure to prevent a power overload, so if your appliance frequently causes your fuses to trip and you have tried it in a number of different outlets, then this is a sign that the appliance is the problem.
If the issue is just in a single outlet and happens when multiple different appliances are plugged in, then the problem could be an overloaded circuit.
If you notice any of the above issues, then you really should make sure to get your appliances tested by a trained professional, like those on electricalsafetycertificate.co.uk. Their qualified electricians will look at the hard wiring of your appliance to check for old or poor features, and will be able to make recommendations as to what updates are needed to keep your property safe.
*Collaborative Post
These are such important things to keep an eye on!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
All the knowledge you have shared is amazing and it is a very helpful article thank you so much for sharing this much information.
I will keep visiting your site…
Thank you for sharing an informative article.
Thank you! Another thing you should pay attention to is your utility bills. Failed or old appliances lose energy efficiency and consume more energy to function. Therefore, your utility bills become higher.
Thank you for sharing this. Another thing in your home you should pay attention to is your electrical panel. Outdated or faulty electrical panels are often the cause of home fires. So if your panel is over 25 years old, releasing a burning smell, displaying visible rust or other damage, and making strange noises (these are only some signs of malfunctioning), you should replace it immediately.