5 Signs of Frayed Wires in Your Home

When the wiring in your home goes bad, you could be risking injury and death for you and your family. Frayed wires can cause blown fuses, electrocution, and even cost you your life. Faulty electrical wiring causes 20% of all house fires in Canada. Some of these lead to major structural damage, injury, or death. To learn about five signs of frayed wires in your home, check out this simple guide!

1. Sparking Outlets and Odd Smells

One of the most obvious signs of frayed wires is seeing sparks come from your fusebox, outlet, or even an appliance. If you see any sparks coming from a fuse box, you should call in an electrician as soon as possible. If you see sparking from your blender or hair drying, the outlet itself may be to blame.Another thing to pay attention to is the presence of odd, burning scents that occur around your electrical system. You should be especially wary of any smells coming from your electrical panel or any outlets. Once you notice the smell, you should avoid plugging in any device until someone has looked over your system.

2. Frayed Wires Can Cause Buzzing Noises

If your electrical system is working properly, you should not be able to hear anything. However, should you hear an audible buzzing noise, this means that you have loose wires creating an electric arc. Arcing can cause injury or death in a variety of different ways, so you need to address the problem as soon as possible.

3. Frayed Wiring Can Cause Flickering and Dimming Lights

Typically, the lights in your home do not require a large amount of power. As such, the issue will likely not be the cause of the light fixture itself, but the electrical circuit where it connects. Faults in the wiring combined with power heavy appliances like washers and dryers can lead to dimming and flickering lights.You should call in a professional electrician to check on the health of the circuit and determine your next steps. They may suggest installing a dedicated power source for a given appliance or moving your lighting system to another circuit.

4. Switchplates and Outlets Covers That Are Hot to the Touch

Switchplates and outlet covers will protect you and your family from the wiring setup that powers the lights and devices in your home. Even though your appliances produce heat, the outlets that they are plugged into should never be warm to the touch.If you touch your outlet or light switch cover and burn yourself, you could be looking at a major problem. While a faulty appliance could be the cause, it is more likely a sign of frayed wiring or faulty installation.

5. Smoke, Discoloration Around Outlets, and Scorch Marks

These three signs are some of the more obvious indicators of electrical damage. If you see signs of heat damage around your outlets, you should call a professional at once. You should also shut off the affected circuits and even consider removing the fuse box.

Frayed Wires Are Dangerous, Seek Professional Help at Once

While frayed wires can be dangerous, with a little knowledge and common sense, you can avoid injuring yourself or damaging your home. Contact the professionals at Advantage Electric LTD today!