Blog

Common Electrical Concerns for Homeowners

  • Blue Collar Electricians
  • September 1, 2020

Advantages of a Professional Home Electrical System Inspection 

Whether you are a new homeowner in Akron or you have lived in your Cuyahoga Falls home for 20 years, there are many common electrical issues that occur in houses of any age or size. As part of your regular home maintenance, we recommend bringing in an experienced electrician to assess your home’s electrical system. Even if you are a longtime homeowner, it can be easy to overlook some potential signs of a problem. These are just a few of the issues that a professional electrician like Blue Collar Electricians can detect and repair.

Lighting

When was the last time you stopped to think about your light bulbs? It may not seem like a big deal, but if you use a bulb with too high of wattage for the light fixture, the bulb can overheat. That could melt the light socket or the wire insulation. It is important to regularly check to make sure all light fixtures are using appropriate wattage bulbs.

Wiring and Outlets

Along with checking light fixtures, you will want to periodically check for any concerns with the electrical wiring in your home and with the outlets. Some common issues with wiring and outlets include the following:

• More items are plugged in than your home’s electrical system can handle. An electrician can carefully inspect the electric box to assess appropriate electrical usage for your home’s system. Over time, and as technology changes, your family’s electric use will also change. Perhaps you are plugging in many more devices than you were just a few years ago. This check will help you determine how many lights, appliances, and electronic devices can be safely plugged in at the same time.

• Surge protectors are plugged into two-prong outlets. This seems like an easy fix for utilizing older two-prong outlets. However, a two-prong outlet does not have any grounding, and that means that it is not protected from random electrical surges. In this case, the surge protector will not provide any added protection for plugged-in devices. You may consider having your electrician replace any remaining two-prong outlets in your home with three-prong outlets.

• Lights frequently flicker or dim, or outlets feel warm. These are just a few signs of common electrical issues due to wiring. A professional electrician can thoroughly inspect your home for these and other issues and help propose a solution. 

Appliances

Are all appliances in your home working properly? While the appliance might just be old and in need of replacing, the problem could also be due to improper wiring. Your electrician can test and inspect all of the appliance connections and wiring to make sure everything is in proper working order before you just assume you need a new fridge or washing machine.

Blue Collar Electricians provides electrical services for homeowners across Northeast Ohio. Let us know how we can help you.