13 Warning Signs of Electricity You Shouldn’t Ignore

We all know that electricity is dangerous. It can kill us or cause serious injury if we’re not careful. But even if we are careful, there are still some warning signs of electricity you should never ignore. In this blog post, we will discuss 13 of them.

If you see any of these signs, make sure to unplug your appliance and call an electrician immediately!

13 Warning Signs of Electricity You Shouldn’t Ignore

If you’re like most people, you take electricity for granted. It’s always there when you need it, powering your lights, appliances, and gadgets. But what happens when something goes wrong? How can you tell if there’s a problem with your home’s electrical system?

Here are 13 warning signs of electricity you shouldn’t ignore:

1. Flickering lights – If your lights are flickering or dimming, it could be a sign of loose wiring or an overloaded circuit. Pay attention to which lights are affected and how often the flickering occurs. If the problem persists, call an electrician.
2. Buzzing or humming sounds – These sounds could indicate that your wiring is faulty or that there’s an issue with your electrical panel. If you hear these sounds, don’t hesitate to call an electrician.
3. Burning smells – A burning smell is a serious warning sign of danger. It could be caused by an overloaded circuit or a short circuit. If you smell something burning, turn off the power at your breaker box and call an electrician right away.
4. Discolored outlets or switches – Outlets and switches that are discolored or charred could be another sign of a problem with your wiring. If you see any discoloration, don’t use the affected outlet or switch and call an electrician as soon as possible.
5. Sparks or smoke – These are definitely signs of a serious problem and an immediate danger. If you see sparks or smoke coming from an outlet, switch or appliance, turn off the power at your breaker box and call 911 right away.
6. Electrical shocks – If you feel a shock when you touch an electrical device or outlet, there is definitely a problem. This could be caused by faulty wiring or a defective appliance. Turn off the power at your breaker box and call an electrician immediately.
7. Non-working outlets – An outlet that doesn’t work could be due to a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse. Try resetting the breaker or replacing the fuse before calling an electrician.
8. Outlets that spark when you plug something in – Like non-working outlets, this could also be due to a tripped breaker or blown fuse. But it could also be a sign of loose wiring. If the problem persists after resetting the breaker or replacing the fuse, call an electrician.
9. Circuit breakers that trip frequently – If your circuit breaker trips more than once, there could be a problem with your wiring or appliances. Try unplugging some of your devices and see if that solves the problem. If not, call an electrician.
10. Appliances that overheat – Appliances that overheat can be a fire hazard. Unplug the appliance and have it serviced by a professional.
11. Extension cords that are hot to the touch – Extension cords that are hot to the touch – Hot extension cords are another fire hazard. Check the appliance you are connecting to it in relation with the wire gauge of the extension cord. A 16-gauge extension cord is only good for 10-amps (or 1200W); 14-awg 15-amps (1800W); and, 12-awg is rated for 20-amps (2400W). Keep in mind that if you max out the amperage/wattage rating, it will be warm to the touch. It is recommended to never exceed 80% of the extension cords rating similar to your home’s electrical system. Powering a high wattage appliance with a smaller gauge extension cord not rated for it (like a 2-pring brown extension cord rated for 10-ampsw on an toaster rated for 1500W) can definitely catch fire!
12. Outlets that feel hot to the touch – Hot outlets are yet another fire hazard. Turn off the power at your breaker box and call an electrician right away.
13. Frequent brownouts or blackouts – Brownouts (when the power dims) or blackouts (when the power goes out completely) could be caused by a problem with your home’s wiring or the electrical grid. If you experience frequent brownouts or blackouts, call your electricity provider. If the problem is with your home’s wiring, call an electrician.

If you experience any of these warning signs of electricity, don’t ignore them! Call an electrician right away to have the problem diagnosed and repaired.

If you live in NE Ohio, chances are you’ll once of AC Electric’s service vehicles servicing your next door neighbor. Give us a call and we can set you up with either an emergency call or routine scheduled maintenance or fix!