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Coeur D’Alene & Spokane Area

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What Condition is Your Wiring in?

electrician's hands working with wiresOf all the issues that can negatively impact your home, electrical problems are probably the most dangerous. Think about it—a plumbing problem can cause mold growth and property damage while an HVAC issue can leave you uncomfortable for a few hours while you wait for emergency repairs to get your system back in shape. But electrical problems can cause electrocution and house fires.

It’s essential that you have a professional electrician inspect the wiring in your home at least once every few years to see if you need Spokane, WA electrical repair. Otherwise, you could very well find yourself facing a problem or even an electrical emergency. Keep in mind, though, that even with regular inspections there’s still a chance that electrical issues can happen, so be sure to contact an electrician right away if you notice any of the following signs.

Constantly Flickering Lights

You may think this is normal, if perhaps you’re turning on another fixture in the home and notice lights flickering elsewhere. Or maybe you think your house is haunted. Most likely, though, neither of these are the cause—it’s probably due to a short circuit in your electrical system.

Now if it’s just one lamp or light fixture experiencing the issue, then you probably just need to replace that one component. However, if you’re noticing it throughout an entire section of your home, you likely have a short circuit somewhere in the home, and if you’re experiencing this problem on a consistent basis then it’s definitely not something to be ignored.

Hot Outlets, Switches, or Spots on Walls

Have you ever placed your hand on a light switch, or maybe a random spot on your wall and felt it was warm? Hot spots usually are a sign of a point in your electrical system where current is flowing in a direction that it should not be. Electrical current that’s diverted to a point that it isn’t supposed to go, such as another wire or directly into your home’s drywall, throws off energy as heat.

That energy is what you’re feeling when you discover a hot spot in your home. These are a sign of a very serious problem with your electrical system—one that may very well cause a house fire. This is definitely a sign that shouldn’t be ignored! Make sure you call for repairs as soon as you suspect you may need them—keeping in mind, though, that dimmer switches do operate differently and may be warmer to the touch than standard outlets or switches in your home.

Frequent Circuit Breaker Tripping

Your circuit breakers are designed to protect your home from power surges (no, these do not only occur when it’s storming outside). When a portion of your home’s electrical system suddenly starts carrying voltage beyond safe limits, the circuit breaker trips and that part of your electrical system is shut down until the problem can be fixed. Usually, a circuit breaker will trip due to an overloaded circuit.

Unplugging a few things and then resetting the breaker is usually the only thing that’s needed to fix this issue. But when your circuit breakers keep tripping, it’s a sign that there may be a bigger issue. Be sure to contact our pros to see what the issue is. We may find that it’s necessary to upgrade your electrical panel.

ACI Northwest is here to help with your home comfort needs or concerns. Please do not hesitate to contact us for helpful advice.

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