5 Common Electrical Issues Around Your Home

When you go to turn on any electrical appliances, from lights to microwaves, you want to do so with full confidence. That’s why it is pretty disconcerting when these things don’t work. The fact is, electrical issues are more than just frustrating – they’re a safety hazard. And some electrical issues aren’t as obvious as others.

We think that the best way to know when you’re experiencing household electrical issues is to know some of the common ones. To help you get acquainted with these, we have written up a list of 5 common electrical issues around your home. But remember: never try to identify or fix electrical issues yourself. Always get a licenced and qualified electrician!

Improper wire junction are one of the most common electrical issues in older homes

In Australia, we love older houses for their character. But as with a lot of characters, they can have some dark sides too. For a lot of older homes, this dark side takes the form of dangerous electrical issues. One example that we see from time to time is improper wire junctions. When a wire terminates or joins another wire, it should be housed in an appropriate junction box. Above all, this is a matter of safety. Wire junctions and terminations often leave exposed conductive materials, which can cause electrical shocks if you come into contact with them. They can also cause dangerous short circuits if a foreign conductive material comes into contact with them. To identify any improper junctions or terminations, we suggest getting an electrical inspection from a specialist.

An overreliance on extension cords and power boards can cause electrical issues

Extension cords and power boards: they can be absolute lifesavers at times. But they’re not designed for permanent use. Extension cords and bower boards simply aren’t at the standard of permanent electrical fittings. And if you use them for too long, this can become clear in damaging ways. If they eventually give up, they can cause your appliances to malfunction, and they can even cause fires. If you have an electrical appliance that needs running out of reach of a power socket, get in touch with an electrician. A qualified and licenced electrician can install a power socket wherever you need one. With permanent and high-quality electrical fittings, you can avoid damaging electrical issues in the future.

Frequent electrical surges are among the household electrical issues we come across the most

Electrical surges: they are some of the most annoying electrical issues you can experience. And they can have any number of causes, from faulty wiring to lightning strikes! Of course, you’ll probably know if lightning is the cause. If it’s not, then you’re probably dealing with an internal electrical issue. Common causes include faulty internal wiring, damaged appliances, and even fallen power lines. So get in touch with your energy provider to check it out, and contact a licenced electrician.

Most common light switch electrical issues are normally due to workmanship or products

Everyone has encountered the light dimmer that doesn’t work. In fact, that seems so frequent that most people assume light dimmers just don’t last that long. But they should! This common electrical issue is mostly a result of either poor installation, or low-quality products. Our advice: get a skilled electrician in to replace them when they stop working.

Electrical issues with your circuit breaker are normally caused by high wattage appliances

Finally, let’s have a look at what many would consider the most common of all electrical issues: the tripped switch. This occurs when your circuit breaker is activated, and its frequently caused by the circuit overload. To avoid overloaded circuits, have a look at our second tip – power boards! If you plug too many appliances into the one outlet using a power board, you will almost always trip a switch.

If that doesn’t seem to be the problem, get in touch with our specialist electricians for useful electrical solutions!