Every year in the United States, thousands of home burn to the ground as a result of domestic fires. Unfortunately, property damage isn’t the only cost of these home conflagrations; many people lose their lives as well. Most home fires take place in the winter, although the risk is there all year long. The most common cause of home first is not an open flame but rather the home electrical system. In today’s blog, we will work on identifying common electrical fire hazards.
Essential, electricity is energy. Energy creates heat. Heat causes fires! So, you can see why electrical issues can cause home fires.
Faulty/Bad Wiring Causes Fires
The United States Fire Administration reports that some 22,000 fires per year are caused by electrical malfunctions. If you believe you are experiencing bad or faulty wiring, you should schedule an inspection with a professional electrician as early as possible. The question is, how do you know if you are experiencing faulty or bad wiring? Let’s go over a few of the warning signs.
- Sparks are produced when you plug an appliance into an outlet
- You hear a buzzing or a humming emanating from an electrical outlet or appliance
- A circuit breaker trips repeatedly
- You smell smoke
- The area around the wall is discolored
- Lights flicker and dim
What You Can/Should Do
If you are experiencing one or more of these electrical phenomena, you should contact a professional electrician right away. They will be able to perform a thorough home electrical system inspection, helping you identify problem areas and providing you with solutions. Electrical safety is NOT something you can mess around with. These are not repairs you can put off for a month or two. They need to be addressed immediately as they put you and your family at risk.