Across the country, every year thousands of preventable house fires occur threatening the lives of adults and children alike. In 2017 in Victoria alone, there were 1588 preventable house fires, responsible for an estimated $42 million in damage of personal property. Electrical faults were the cause of a quarter of these fires, according to the CFA.
It’s truly tragic that electrical issues could be endangering Australians’ lives, especially when these electrical fires can easily be prevented. Safeguard your family, your property and your belongings by getting any electrical maintenance completed promptly so you can enjoy greater peace of mind. This article will discuss electrical warning signs in your home that may necessitate hiring an emergency electrician to fix them.
1 – Flickering or Dimming Lights
If your lights are flickering or dimming unexpectedly, this could be a sign of a wiring fault or other electrical problem. If it happens often and affects multiple lights, you should call an emergency electrician to deal with the problem. Electrical problems can arise with wiring over time as it deteriorates, or due to rodents or possums chewing into it. If your lights are flickering or dimming, make sure you get an emergency electrician in to do a thorough check of your home’s wiring.
2 – Tripping Circuit Breaker
Noticing your circuit breaker is tripping quite frequently? This also could be a sign that you need the expertise of an emergency electrician in your house. While every now and then it’s normal to experience a circuit tripping, if it happens all the time, this could mean there’s an issue with your wiring or that your circuit is overloaded. Find a qualified emergency electrician to investigate the cause of your tripping circuit breaker to make sure your electrics are still safe.
3 – Strange Sounds
If you can hear a humming or buzzing sound emanating from your breaker box or from a power point, you need to call an emergency electrician straight away. Unusual electrical noises are a definite giveaway that something isn’t right in the wiring of your home. It’s a good idea to get it seen to by an emergency electrician as soon as you can.
4 – The Smell of Burning
A burning smell from outlets or appliances is an urgent warning. It means the outlet or item plugged into it are overheating. Immediately switch off the outlet and unplug the appliance as well as any power boards. Some other signs of burning are visual, such as discoloured switches and power points with black or brown marks. If you notice any of these signs, call an emergency electrician right away and get the relevant power points inspected.
5 – Visible Sparks
A sparking power point is clearly a worry, and something that you need to take action on by calling an emergency electrician. Any kind of sparking is dangerous, as it can cause damage to the wiring as well as potentially cause a house fire. If you notice sparks, turn the power point off straight away and phone a reliable emergency electrician in your city.
6 – Electric Shocks
All electrical shocks are warning signs – even if they’re small – that there’s a problem with your electrics. It means that electricity is escaping and your wiring isn’t safe. It puts you at risk of injury from further shocks as well as at risk of an electrical fire. If you get a shock from an outlet, the right thing to do is to turn off the switch and unplug any appliances, then call your local emergency electrician to determine the cause of the shock.