When it comes to the electrical system in your home, take no chances, unless you are a licensed electrician yourself. Yes, turning off switches and breakers can be done by anyone. If you’re a handyman, it may even be safe to check connections with a tester. But for any situation where you are unsure, here follow 10 reasons to call a Victoria BC electrician:
- A breaker trips frequently – this is a sign that a circuit is frequently overloaded, causing the safety mechanism that is the circuit breaker to trip. This can be caused by old wiring, a developing fault, or too many appliances or devices being plugged into that circuit.
- Flickering lights – if your hair dryer causes bulbs to flicker, or a fridge or dryer cause the lights to dim, then you have a marginal circuit. Appliances, specially motor-driven ones, draw a lot of power on startup, and they should ideally have their own circuit.
- You notice that a particular outlet has a multitude of power strips and/or multi-taps on it. That’s a sign that a circuit is being overloaded and you should have an electrician add more outlets and/or upgrade the wiring and the circuit breaker.
- A predominance in 2-prong outlets. 3-prong outlets are there for a reason, namely grounding a circuit, and a lack of grounded circuits is an unsafe situation.
- A mess of extension cords – running extension cords all over the house is a sign that you lack proper convenience outlets. You should have an electrician install more as well as check the load of the devices using that circuit.
- Be aware that building code revisions are for your own safety and if you find antiquated wiring in your house, consider having an electrician replace them.
- Warm wiring or switches, blackened switches, a tingling feeling when you touch an appliance – all are signs that there is a fault in the circuit and that an electrician should be summoned posthaste.
- Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters are now required for areas that are often wet. These include kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, and basements. If you don’t have these in your home, consult with an electrician now.
- Moisture or rusting near or on the circuit breaker panel – a sure sign that a fault is developing, one that needs to be remedied by an electrician.
- You have just moved into an old house – have an electrician check the wiring for your and your family’s sake.
Any of the conditions enumerated above can lead to tragic loss if not rectified, sooner rather than later. Call Onda Electric now to put your mind at ease.
