How Do I Know If My Home Needs Electrical Rewiring?

Faulty electrical wiring is one of the leading causes of house fires, especially during the winter months. In fact, there are more than 45,000 home electrical fires every year in the United States.

The best way to prevent electrical fires is to rewire your home. But how do you know for sure if your home’s electrical wiring is in need of a serious upgrade? Here are some of the most common signs your home needs a new electrical installation.

1. Your lights flicker regularly. Your lights can sometimes flicker during winter storms and high winds because the weather is affecting your powerlines. But if you notice your light fixtures flickering and dimming regularly even without high winds, you may have a problem with your electrical wiring. Try changing your light bulbs to see if it improves the problem. Sometimes a flickering light means that you have another major appliance in your home wired to the same circuit and it’s using all the energy.
2. Your light fixtures make buzzing sounds. Your home isn’t a warehouse. Your light fixtures shouldn’t be making buzzing noises. Buzzing sounds are caused by loose prongs, loose outlets, or frayed wiring. If the noise isn’t coming from the light, but directly from your outlet, contact a residential electrician for an electrical quote and inspection right away.
3. Your outlet shocks you. Static can sometimes cause a slight shock when you plug in an appliance. Fortunately, static isn’t a sign of a larger problem. But if shocks happen regularly at one outlet or you can feel heat coming from the outlet, the problem isn’t static but frayed or loose wiring.
4. Your outlets give off a burning smell. A burning smell from your outlet can sometimes be caused by plugging in a new appliance for the first time. But buzzing and popping sounds accompanied by a burning smell, contact a professional electrician immediately for an electrical quote. This could be the sign of a potential electrical fire.
5. Your circuit breaker trips frequently. It can be annoying when your circuit breaker trips, but it’s important to remember that your circuit breaker acts as a line of defense against electrical overloading. It’s normal for your circuit breaker to cut off energy supply now and then, especially when you use an appliance that requires a lot of electricity to run. But if your circuit breaker trips regularly, it could be a sign of loose or fraying electrical wiring.

It’s important to meet your home’s electrical needs to reduce your risk of an electrical fire. If you’re not sure if your home needs electrical rewiring, contact a licensed electrician today and get an electrical quote.