If you believe that what you can’t see can hurt you, you’re more right than you may know. Because right in the relative comfort and safety of your own home, things might not be quite as safe as you would hope.
That’s especially true of older homes or home with aging, frayed wiring. Then again, even newer home could face the risk of an electrical fire if the wiring is substandard or wasn’t installed up to code. And how about if your home was built between 1969 and 1976 when aluminum was all the rage? During that seven-year stretch, America witnessed a tremendous building home during which many shortcuts were taken, aluminum wiring being one of them vs. the more expensive copper.
All was well and good until aluminum connections proved to be far more susceptible to fire than copper when suddenly electrical codes reverted back to the safer copper standard.
How can you tell if any of your wiring is unsafe or inadequate to your current needs? Here are several telltale signs:
- Frequently blown fuses or tripping circuit breakers
- Multiple lights the flicker or dim on their own
- You feel a slight shock or vibration when you turn on an appliance
- An electrical outlet or switch that is hot to the touch
- If you don’t have ground fault circuit interrupters in your bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere else water can come in contact with electricity
- Any frayed or damaged wires
- If you detect the scent of burning plastic or vinyl and can locate the source
Just to play it safe, Burton recommends an annual whole-house electrical wiring and safety inspection, one we perform for thousands of customers every year. As your trusted electrician in Omaha, we can spot trouble and take care of it before trouble occurs. We can also advise you if your circuit breaker panel is no longer adequate for your home’s electrical needs.
More than anything, we want to help keep your home the safe haven you expect it to be. So, if it’s been a year or longer since your electrical wiring was last inspected, contact Burton today.
