3 Electrical Problems You Should Never Fix Yourself
Unless you are a licensed electrician, you should never tamper with your electrical wiring. While a few electricity-related issues can be resolved on your own, such as replacing switch plates on your outlets or changing light bulbs, other electrical repairs or even upgrades are best left to the professionals.
Here are just a few electrical problems or upgrades you should have your electrician address for you and why hiring an electrician is the best option for each job.
1. Loose Outlets
A loose outlet is typically caused by loose or poorly connected wiring. Loose outlets are an annoyance, for example, when you plug something in and it doesn’t stay, or when your outlet actually sparks when you plug certain appliances or cords.
Hire an electrician to repair your loose outlets for a few reasons. First, you risk getting shocked when tampering with wires connected to your outlet. You also need to know why your outlets are not working correctly, which is an issue you can't properly diagnose on your own. Your electrician will inspect your wiring to make sure it's up to date and properly connected before repairing your outlets.
2. Flickering Lights
Flickering lights should be taken seriously. Your lights may only flicker when you have multiple lights turned on at once, or they may flicker all the time.
The main cause for flickering lights is loose wiring, which is dangerous and can lead to an electrical fire in your home. Another cause is a defect in your breaker box, which should be inspected by an electrician.
Discontinue using the lights that are affected and make note of which lights flicker when turned on. You should also note which lights only flicker when other appliances are turned on or plugged in, and any other issues your electrician should know about. Your electrician will use a special tool to test the electric currents in your home to identify where the loose wiring is located.
3. Installing New Lights or Ceiling Fans
It seems like a simple task to trade out an old light fixture for new one or to upgrade an existing light to a lighted ceiling fan. Still, this project is best left to your electrician, even if you have done the task before with no repercussion.
Why? Because you may not be connecting wires correctly or you may have the wrong voltage in the receptacle, which can lead to flickering lights or random circuit surges (which can cause your breaker box to fail).
To avoid overloading any circuits in your home or causing accidental shock due to inexperience with electricity, have your electrician perform these simple tasks. You may consider yourself a skilled carpenter, but electricity is another skill entirely that should only be handled by a professional.
Always hire an electrician to approve your lighting or fan installation project; or hire an electrician to do the work for you. An approved electrician will make sure your electricity is up to code before allowing any upgrades to be completed.
As always, consult with your electrician if you experience hot or sparking outlets (and switches), have areas in your home that don't have consistent electricity, or if certain appliances seem to cause outlets to overheat.
Your electrician will diagnose what is causing your home's electrical problems and repair them before they become a greater danger.
For all your electrical installation or repair needs, call our team of experts at Street Brothers Electric. We are skilled techniques with experience addressing a variety of electrical issues. You can trust our team to make your home a safer, more comfortable place to live.
