Most of us tend to forget about the electrics in our homes until there is a problem. Whether that be a blown fuse or flickering lights, a lot of us might find the thought of a serious electrical fault terrifying.
That’s why we’ve put together the top 3 signs that you should call an electrician, so you can feel assured that you know when a problem is large enough to call someone to help.
Buzzing from the fuse box
Electricity is moving around in your fuse box all the time, so a light hum coming from your consuming unit shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
But if you hear a loud buzzing that increases when you’re using high power appliances, you should call an electrician to investigate.
Flickering lights
If you notice that your lights flicker when you’re using appliances that use a lot of power, like a dishwasher or fridge, then it could be that the socket wasn’t intended to use high-power appliances. You can solve this issue by updating your wiring or having work done to update the singular sockets.
If the flicker in your lights isn’t associated with a particular appliance, you could have a problem with the conductors in the fuse box. If this is the case, call an electrician right away.
Arcing when you plug in appliances
If you notice a spark when you plug in an appliance, there could be a problem with your wiring or the fuse box. Don’t panic – it’s not necessarily an emergency, but you shouldn’t be seeing the spark in normal conditions. Don’t use that socket until you’ve spoken to an electrician who will advise you of the best course of action.
When to call the fire brigade
Sometimes there are some issues that indicate an emergency and you should call the fire service right away. These situations are very rare, but it’s best to be prepared in case they ever happen to you.
Prolonged sparking
If you notice sparking from an appliance or your fuse box, you’re going to need extensive electrical work done. But first, you should call the fire brigade as the sparks could cause a fire.
Burning wiring smell
You’ll know the difference between the smell of one of the kids burning the toast and burning wiring. It’s a very unpleasant smell, and if you smell it, call the fire service straight away.
Whenever you feel in danger
Although you shouldn’t waste the fire service’s time, an electrical fault could turn into a serious fire so if you are ever worried, make sure you call them. They are there to protect you and if they catch a small problem before it turns into a large one, you’ve saved them a job later on.