Electricity is dangerous. It is also a necessity to daily life, we all rely on electricity to light our homes, help to heat them, charge our smart devices, and even cook our food.
For the most part, it works exceptionally well, but, when there is an issue you need to deal with it promptly before it develops into something more serious. Electrical short circuits are one of the biggest causes of house fires.
The safest way to deal with the issue is to get qualified help, you’ll find there are plenty of people looking to undertake electrician jobs in Sydney, you just need to contact the right agency to hook you up.
But, getting in the professionals doesn’t mean you shouldn’t gain a basic understanding of the issues you’re facing.
Here are the 5 most common signs that you have an electrical issue and need help:
- Electric Shocks
When you turn on a switch or plug an item in you may hear a spark, you may even see it. These are warning signs. But, when you start getting small electrical shocks every time you touch a specific electrical appliance or even any of your appliances, you know there’s an issue with a live wire someone in your electrics.
That’s a real fire risk and you should get professional help fast. In the meantime you can attempt to work out which circuit is the problem one, you can do this by turning them off one at a time to see if the shocks stop.
If you find it, leave the circuit off until it’s been repaired.
- Breakers Tripping
Another sign that you have a fault is when your breakers keep tripping. Again, you should unplug everything from the specific circuit then plug them in one at a time. IF a specific item makes the circuit trip it could be an issue with that appliance. IF not, it’s probably the circuit.
- Burning Smell
You probably already know what electrical burning smells like, it’s a slightly acidic, yet electrical smell and not a pleasant one.
If you smell this then you have an issue, you need to shut the power off to the affected socket straight away.
- Discoloration
Another sign that you have an issue is when you notice discoloration around a socket or on a plug. This means that it has got hot which is probably the result of a short circuit. You’ll need to check whether it’s an appliance issue or a socket issue but, in both cases, proceed with caution.
- Flickering LIghts
Flickering lights are occasionally a sign that the bulb is about to go. But, in most cases, it’s a sign that the wiring to the light is defective. Again, you’re likely to experience a short circuit and the potential for a fire.
Disconnect the circuit and get professional help.
Electrical issues are more likely in houses with old wiring, but they can happen to anyone, that’s why you should have your home electrics inspected regularly.
