Fire hazards and electrocution are dangerous hazards but they can be easily averted if we were more observant. There are a few signs that give us a hint. What then are these signs that tells us when the home needs rewiring or an electrical revamp? Here are some to note:
Fuses blow repeatedly
Whenever random fuses blow up regularly, that may be a sign or an indication that your home needs a rewiring. This more especially if there are no faulty electrical appliances. If it keeps happening, get an electrician to check your wiring.
Burnt or discoloured sockets or switches
Small fires or sparks, caused by loose connections inside the socket, could be the cause of brown marks seen on electrical sockets. These loose connections can create little arcs of electricity and fire. That there are no scorch marks on a socket doesn’t necessarily imply that all is well and good. The arcing could occur in the wiring within the walls. Don’t ignore any discolouration, as the problem could become even more dangerous.
Persistent burning smell
If you are not cooking anything that you fear might be burning but there’s a burning smell that will not go away, you might have to switch off your power from the mains. It might be that your electrical wires and/or cables are on fire due to a malicious contact or an overload. Whatever the case is, you would need to contact an electrician who will help figure out what is wrong. If not handled carefully, this might lead to fire outbreaks and/or damage electrical appliances.
Flickering or dimming lights
If it’s just one lightbulb in your sitting room or apartment generally that is flickering, that might be because the bulb is bad or the lamp holder is faulty. However, if there are other flickering bulbs in other rooms or even in the same room, then you might need to check your wiring to be sure that all is well.
Electric shocks
A minor or major electric shock experienced while plugging an appliance to a socket might be an indication that all is not well; especially when you can’t see any exposures on the socket that could have led to you touching a wire. If you have experienced a shock, however small, whenever plugging an electrical appliance into a socket, then it needs checking urgently. Similarly, if there’s a buzzing sound from a socket, get it checked.
An old house
Apart from all of the signs mentioned above, if you move into a house that has been built for a very long time then you might need to consult an electrician and buy Dante Wires and Cables to do a rewiring in the house. The only reason to not rewire is if a rewiring has been done recently. Our recommendation is that your electrical installation is tested every 10 years if you own your home, and every five years if you rent. Moreover, older houses also tend to have fewer sockets, meaning that extension leads are more likely to be used, and this can lead to the sockets being dangerously overloaded.
Hanging sockets
Other than that, if one or more wall sockets are hanging off the wall with the wires behind them getting exposed, it can be very dangerous – particularly if you have children or pets. Get an electrician to mend the socket and check your entire electrical system quickly.
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