8 Signs That Signal It’s Time To Call Your Local Electrician

When it comes to your home’s electrical systems, then don’t mess around. Always opt on the side of caution and contact a qualified, licensed, and insured electrical professional. If you have a sudden power loss and see wires hanging loose, or if there’s smoke or fire from a wire, then it’s evident that you need a professional’s help. And, of course, you should always hire a qualified local electrician for new construction, inspecting a new home purchase, or after your home has suffered significant damage from flooding, fire, or other perils.

Other clues that you need to hire help, though, are less obvious. Here are eight signs that signal it’s time to call your local electrician.

1. Age of Home

Older electrical systems can be inefficient and even hazardous. If your house is over 25 years of age and hasn’t had an electrical upgrade, it’s time to call your electrician and start the process of updating the whole system. This is especially important if your home was built between 1965 and 1975 when new construction often used aluminum wiring, which is prone to developing loose connections over time that can arc, spark, and start fires. If your house was built before 1940, it might have old knob-and-tube wiring, which should certainly be replaced.

2. Panel Deterioration

The main service panel is the heart of your home’s electrical system and must be kept in good working shape. Inspect the panel regularly. If you see visible damage from smoldering, moisture build-up, or rust, there is likely a severe underlying problem that could put the wiring connections at risk. Bring in a professional electrician to determine if the problem can simply be repaired or if a whole new panel needs to be installed.

3. Outlet Update

Wall outlets have come a long way over the past twenty years. If yours haven’t been updated in the past couple of decades, the time to do so is now. One essential update is to make sure that any outlets near water sources (such as sinks, showers, toilets, or bathtubs) and in grounded areas (such as the garage or basement) have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Without these, your home is not only out of code compliance, it’s also not safe. If your outlets can only take two-pronged plugs, it suggests that your home’s electrical system is likely out of date and not fully grounded.

4. Heat and Sparks

It probably goes without saying, but since it’s so dangerous, it bears saying: if an outlet, switch, or other surfaces in your home’s electrical system feels warm to the touch or if it sparks or gives a shock when operated, you must contact an electrician promptly. Be on the lookout, too, for any dark smoldering marks near switch plates, terminals, or wire-ends, which is often a sign of an overloaded circuit or even wiring damage. And don’t neglect your sense of smell: if you detect the odor of smoke or an unaccountable fish-like odor, you may have the start of an electrical fire.