Although modern electrical systems are designed and installed so that they are as safe as possible, issues can arise at any time that require you to have some part of the system replaced. Some electrical issues aren’t much more than an inconvenience, but others can be a huge safety hazard due to the risk of shocks, electrocution and electrical fires. As such, it’s always important to monitor your home’s electrical system and watch out for any of these signs that indicate it’s time to schedule a replacement.
Outlet Shows Signs of Smoking or Scorching
One electrical issue you should always watch out for is if you have an outlet that starts smoking or has any signs of smoking or scorching on its face plate. These issues indicate that there’s either a damaged or loose wire in the outlet that’s causing the current arc and spark and creating a serious risk of an electrical fire starting. Due to the risk of fire, you should make sure not to use the outlet until you can have an electrician inspect and either rewire or replace it. If you’re currently using an outlet and it starts to smoke, you should immediately unplug everything from it to lessen the chances of it catching fire. Although the current should stop arcing as soon as no power is flowing out of the outlet, it’s also a good idea to shut off the breaker for the circuit the outlet is on just as an added safety precaution to ensure a fire doesn’t start.
You may end up encountering a similar situation where an outlet or light switch feels hot when you touch it. This issue also indicates that the outlet or switch is a potential fire hazard and requires immediate attention from a licensed electrician.
Electrical Panel Is Humming, Buzzing or Crackling
It’s fairly normal to hear a very soft buzzing or humming sound coming from your electrical panel. This sound just comes from the current flowing through the panel and is normally not something you need to be concerned about. When you do need to worry is if you hear an overly loud buzzing or humming sound or any crackling noises. When an electrical panel makes a loud buzzing or humming sound, it often indicates that there is an issue like a faulty circuit breaker that’s unable to trip like it should. This is a dangerous situation since it can lead to wiring overheating and starting a fire if the breaker doesn’t trip when the circuit it controls is overloaded. When dealing with this situation, we recommend shutting the power to your home off by switching off the main breaker to ensure a fire doesn’t start while you’re waiting for an electrician to arrive and replace either the breaker or your electric panel.
A crackling sound coming from your electrical panel can be an even more serious issue since it often means a loose or damaged wire in the panel is causing the current to arc. Not only can this type of electrical fault easily result in a fire, but it also has the potential to electrocute you if you were to touch the panel. As such, you should make sure everyone stays away from the panel and contact your utility company to report an emergency to have them shut the power to your home off. This last step is necessary anyway since an electrician won’t be able to safely work on the panel and fix the issue until it doesn’t have power flowing to it. While an electrician may be able to repair the issue, you may instead need to have your electrical panel replaced depending on its age and condition.
Electrical Panel Shows Signs of Rust
Check your electrical panel every few months to make sure it doesn’t show any signs of rust, corrosion or smoking. Smoking indicates that there is an issue causing the wiring in the panel to overheat, which means the panel could potentially catch fire. Rust or corrosion aren’t always as serious of an issue, but they can potentially prevent a circuit breaker from tripping when it’s supposed to. Rust also means that water or moisture is getting inside the panel somehow, which is something you obviously want to get fixed right away. In any of these situations, the solution will usually be to have an electrician remove the old panel and install a new one.
Electrical Panel Is 25+ Years Old
One thing many homeowners don’t realize is that electrical panels have a limited lifespan and can eventually develop various issues that potentially constitute a safety hazard. That’s why most experts recommend replacing your electrical panel every 25 years. While many panels can certainly last longer than 25 years, it’s not worth taking a risk due to the possibility of safety hazards arising.
Lights Frequently Flicker
One of the more common electrical issues you may encounter is when one or more lights in your home often start flickering, which can happen for a variety of reasons. For instance, if just a single light is flickering, it may just be that the bulb is loose and needs to be tightened. Another possibility is that there is an issue with the wiring in the light fixture, which is more serious since it can also potentially lead to a fire starting. If you have multiple lights on the same circuit that flicker, it usually means there’s an issue with the circuit’s wiring that’s also possibly a fire hazard.
Something that frequently happens in some homes is that the lights on various circuits will flicker in situations such as when the AC system first starts or when you turn on the clothes dryer. This issue almost always indicates that your electrical panel is too small and you need to upgrade to a panel that supplies a higher amperage. The reason that this issue happens is that if the panel doesn’t supply enough amps, the amount of power a 240-volt appliance like your AC or dryer draws when starting can cause the power in all of the other circuits to fluctuate for a short time.
Adding a New Appliance or an Additional Circuit
If you plan on adding central air conditioning to your home or something like a hot tub or an EV charging station, you’ll also often have to upgrade to a larger, higher-amp electrical panel. The reason is that all of these things require a dedicated 240-volt circuit, and there isn’t always space in the panel to add a new circuit and double-pole breaker. Even if there is sufficient space, there’s a decent chance that your panel doesn’t supply enough amps to support the new 240-volt circuit without issues like the one we just discussed occurring.
Non-GFCI Outlets in Certain Parts of Your Home
The National Electric Code stipulates that GFCI outlets are required for all power receptacles outdoors as well as all of those in a garage, laundry room, utility room, basement, bathroom and kitchen. The purpose of GFCI outlets is to prevent potential electrocution that can occur if water comes into contact with any wiring or any damaged wiring comes into contact with anything metal. While you’re not legally required to replace all of the outlets in these areas with GFCIs, it’s still a smart thing to do since it will make your electrical system much safer. If you’re unsure if any outlet is a GFCI, you can easily tell since every GFCI outlet will have a Test and Reset button along with a small LED light in the corner.
For nearly 85 years, Bryant Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric has been the company homeowners in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana have trusted for all of their home service needs. We specialize in electrical replacements along with repairs and installations and can ensure that all aspects of your electrical system are safe and work correctly. To schedule any electrical, plumbing, heating or air conditioning service, contact us today.
