5 Warning Signs – How to Tell if The Electrical Wiring in Your Home is Faulty

January 12, 2022 By Jenny-mcintosh

Knowing when it’s time to replace and update your home wiring is vital to saving you money and prioritising your family’ssafety. Outdated, damaged or otherwise poorly installed and maintained home wiring is not something to take lightly or ignore. There are thousands of residential electrical fires in Australia each year, caused by faulty wiring, that leave households with expensive repair bills and worst-case, injury or fatality. Don’t let your household be one of them. Be alert and look out for these easy to spot warning signs of faulty electrical wiring.

Frayed, Ripped or Chewed Wiring

Damaged wiring is usually caused by rodents, pets and amateur handymen, any damaged wiring like this can cause huge electrical shocks and is a major fire hazard. It’s of the utmost importance that if you find or suspect that there are any problems of this kind, you should contact an electrical contractor or wiring professional to inspect and replace your home’s wiring.

Buzzing, Flickering or Dimming Lights

Even if your circuit breaker hasn’t tripped off, doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem with your electrical wiring. Another symptom of outdated (non-compliant) or damaged wiring isbuzzing, flickering or dimming lights. If your lights buzz when they’re turned on or flicker/dim when you use multiple appliances, this is a definite sign that there are wiring issues and your home’s wiring requires at the least, a professional inspection.

Look for Scorched or Burnt Power Outlets

Visually inspecting the power outlet points in your home is a quick way to determine if any unnecessary or excessive heat is coming from your wiring. If you notice any discoloration or scorch marks on your outlets, you can be sure that the wiring in your home has been damaged in some way and is releasing heat. Left unchecked that heatcan damage expensive appliances your home and has the potential to do much worse.

Burning Smells or Strange Odours

Burning smells or strong pungent odours mean that there could already be fire damage within your homes wiring, and if that’s the case, it’s crucial to have it fixed by a licensed electrical professional immediately.In most cases you can sniff out the source of the problem when you suspect an electrical or wiring issue in your home. Smell for any burning, smoky or strange odours at power points or switches, as well as at your switchboard.

WARNING: If you do find any problems with your electrical system or wiring, do not attempt to fix or repair it yourself. Always contact a trained and licensed electrical professional.