You don’t need to be an electrician to spot electrical faults in your property. Though there are some useful tools that can help you determine the size and scope of various electrical problems it is by and large illegal for unlicensed persons to carry out electrical work so we will focus on spotting faults without these tools.
READ YOUR ELECTRICAL BILL
Your electricity bill could be one of the first places you notice problems with your electricity. If you’ve noticed a large increase in your energy bill it could be due to seasonal usage changes or a faulty appliance that is overdrawing. If you’ve added something new to your house it may account for some more energy usage but it may also be faulty old wiring. If you think there might be something wrong it never hurts to have an electrician test your grid.
If you’d like to save long term on your power bill consider installing solar panels.
TEST YOUR SOCKETS AND APPLIANCES
Tour your property with a small lamp by plugging it into all of your wall sockets to test they work. While you’re going test all of your switches and lights. If you notice irregularities take note but do not attempt to tamper with any wiring. Don’t even try to fix loose sockets while there is live electricity in the walls.
BLINKING LIGHTS
Blinking lights or differential brightness from the same globes in different positions can be a sign of faulty or damaged wiring. Another thing to look out for is lights that are noticeably hotter than other lights.
OLD WIRING
Vintage houses were built before the modern demand for electricity and unfortunately the wiring often can’t handle it. Either the breaker box is not large enough and there are very few outlets or they are not wired to facilitate all the power hungry appliances we use today. Old cables were often made using coating material that would degrade over time, gradually exposing the wires or leading to breakages. Due to the demands of modern appliances being so high it is not uncommon for old wiring to come undone faster with the strain. If you notice lights flickering when you turn on a large appliance it might be time to have a chat with your electrician.
TRIP HAZARDS
Not so much an electrical fault but the potential for one in the making. Trip hazards and cables spooled all over the house are a bad idea. It’ll be a pretty unfortunate day when you do trip and hurt yourself, but you could also pull plugs from the wall and damage the internal wiring of your house.
CALL DR SPARKY ELECTRICAL TO FIX THESE FAULTS AND MORE
Dr Sparky Electrical should be your go-to for all matters concerning electricity, whether domestic, commercial or industrial. In addition to the nuanced tools to properly check circuit voltage, harmonics and identify locations of power drain Dr Sparky has thermographic imaging technology to look for hot spots in your walls and ceilings. To get some help troubleshooting over the phone, ask more questions or get started, call us today on 1800 377 727 or contact us online.
