1.) Your Circuit Breakers Often Trip:
Everyone trips a circuit breaker occasionally. After all, these devices are in place to stop the flow of excess current. So if your circuit breakers trip a few times a year, this is actually a good thing, as it indicates they are working. However, if you have one or more circuit breakers that trip frequently, you could be dealing with some faulty wiring. First, make sure that you do not have too many appliances plugged into one outlet. As this is another common cause of tripped breakers. You might have too many high-power devices overloading your circuit breaker. Or even that there is an issue with the breaker itself. However, if you cannot find anything wrong with your appliances, hire an electrician to inspect your wiring. As there is a good chance this is what’s causing that pesky breaker to trip.
2.) Your Lights Keep Flickering:
Flickering or dimming lighting is rarely a good sign for your electrical system. Although it does not always mean you need major electrical work. Flickering lights can indicate that you’re using too much power, just as a tripped circuit breaker does. Sometimes, your lights will also flicker during a storm, when high winds affect trees and branches near power lines. A loose bulb could be causing your light to flicker. However, if just using every day, low-power electronics causes your lights to flicker, your wiring could be at fault. This is particularly concerning when…
3.) There Is a Buzzing Smell Coming from Your Outlets:
You should not hear a loud buzzing or humming noise coming from electrical equipment unless you work in an industrial setting. A setting where extremely high-voltage devices are common. If you hear a buzzing noise coming from your outlets at home, on the other hand. Then there is almost certainly a problem with your electrical system. Call an electrician right away if this is the case in your house. Further, find out for certain whether you have a wiring issue on your hands.
4.) There Is a Burning Smell Coming from Your Outlets/ Your Electrical Outlets Are Hot:
Much like the sound of buzzing, the smell of burning coming from your outlets definitely spells trouble. Oftentimes, when your wiring experiences issues and overheats, it will melt the plastic near your outlets. You may also notice that your outlets look singed or burned on the outside. Detecting this burning smell but not seeing any smoke from your outlets could be a sign that they have started sparking behind the receptacles. Regardless, if this burning scent appears in your home, call an electrician right away. A hot outlet is a strong indication that a fire is imminent.
5.) Frayed/damaged wires are visible:
Your wiring can become frayed over time due to sparking, water damage, construction work, and more. You may even notice gnaw marks on your wiring, indicating that rodents have been chewing on it (rats and mice love wiring, as it helps them sand down their sharp teeth.) All these issues are serious though because when the plastic covering around your wires wears down, that means the electrical circuit is vulnerable and may cause the electrical current running through them to arc, potentially leading to sparking or fires. Again, it can be hard to know whether your wiring is damaged or not without actually looking at it. So do not hesitate to hire a professional for an inspection, especially if you have not had an electrician look at your wiring in a while. Or your home is more than several decades old.