9 Signs of Bad Wiring in a House

As wiring becomes outdated, problems occur that inconvenience you. You may find yourself in the dark a lot due to frequently tripped circuits or blown fuses. You might not have enough power to run all of your appliances, lights and devices at the same time. You may receive shocks frequently. You may notice your electric bill is becoming increasingly high for no apparent reason, which may attribute to old wiring. Outdated wiring has the potential to do more than just complicate your life. You could find yourself without a place to call your own once the faulty wiring sparks and starts a fire.

The Dangers of Bad Wiring

Knowing the signs of electrical problems in the home can help you to take action before something goes seriously wrong. Unfortunately, many people lack knowledge regarding the impacts of bad wiring in a house.

Before discussing faulty wiring and the signs you might be experiencing the problem in your home, here are the top reasons ignoring prominent red flags could cost you.

Flickering Lights

Noticing your lights randomly pulsing and flickering like a beacon? If so, it’s time to get a professional electrician on the job.

Electrical wiring issues can sometimes cause minor annoyances such as flickering lights — but if yours are flashing like an SOS signal, then you have much bigger problems to worry about.

But why do your lights flicker when the wiring has a problem?

Loose cables disrupt the power connection every time they move, leading to arcing and sparking. Over time, these flickering lights could lead to electrical fires as the wires deteriorate.

Tripping Your Circuit Breakers

A damaged electrical wire could eventually cause your circuit to break due to shorting and overloading. They are designed to protect your home, but nothing is more frustrating than resetting your circuit breaker every few days.

Severely damaged electrical wires can eventually lead to your circuit breaker being tripped each time you turn on a high-demand appliance, such as welding machines or stoves.

In the long run, the issue of tripping your circuit breaker will only become more frequent.

Electric Shocks

Outdated electrical wiring and improper grounding can result in sudden electric shocks. Older wires will begin to leak electricity, which energizes the metal components within your home’s electrical infrastructure.

Touching anything metal or flicking a switch with dangerous wiring can cause an electric shock every time you touch it.

These jolts have the potential to cause anything from minor surprises to fatal injuries.

No Insurance Claim

Damage caused by faulty wiring could complicate any future insurance claim. If an appliance is damaged by a surge or your home burns to the ground because of an electrical fire, you may want to make a claim through your homeowners’ insurance.

However, if you previously spotted the signs of bad wiring in your house and failed to act immediately, your insurer may refuse to process your claim.

Moreover, in some parts of the country, faulty wiring could be a code violation, which could get you into a heap of trouble.

High Electricity Bills

With rising energy prices, the last thing you want is to receive an unexpectedly high energy bill at the end of the month.

Dangerous electrical wiring can result in higher utility bills because these wires will start to leak electricity from the system.

While most instances of dangerous or damaged electrical wiring may only cost you a few dollars more per month, these amounts can soon add up. Spotting the signs of bad wiring in the house is an investment well worth making.

Electrical Fires

Finally, faulty wiring could lead to fires in your home. Wires that have experienced deteriorating coating can arc and cause a fire. The risk increases if the installed wire doesn’t match the circuit’s amperage.

Remember, the higher the amperage rating, the larger the wires must be to stave off excess heat. As electrical energy leads to heat energy, wires can melt and increase the risk of a fire occurring somewhere within your home’s electrical system.

So, when should the electrical wiring be replaced?

If you’re experiencing any of the above signs of bad wiring in the house, it’s time to act now. If you have any suspicions, call for help from SWAN, and we can make the necessary repairs.

Benefits of Rewiring

If you opt to rewire your home, you could find yourself saving money. Although it sounds hard to believe you can save money by spending it, it’s true when it comes to electrical work. A bad breaker box will increase the amount of energy you consume. Additionally, the electric doesn’t always flow as smoothly through the wiring. Leakage in underground wiring will cause you to use more electric as well. All of this can be repaired to save you money on your electric bill.

If you have an electric furnace, your home might not be heating as efficiently as a result of the outdated wiring. Homeowners notice their home’s furnace heats more efficiently when the wiring is up-to-date, meaning winters will be much warmer as a result of the update. Lights are brighter with newer electric wires, changing the entire ambiance of your home.

Your electronic devices will thank you for updating your wiring since outdated wiring isn’t adequate and may damage the equipment. Sixty amps were once enough for all major devices in a home. Today, homes require 200 or more amps for TVs, computers, air conditioning units and other electronic devices. When the voltage drops, it’s hard on the electronics and can cause them to quit working prematurely.

Here are some signs that your home needs to be rewired:

1. Dimmed ceiling lights

Dimmed ceiling lights aren’t just a sign a light bulb is preparing to burn out. Oftentimes, it’s an indication there isn’t an adequate amount of electricity flowing through your wiring to power it, so it doesn’t illuminate as strongly.

2. Smoking from Outlets, Lights or Appliances

When your appliances, lights or outlets begin smoking, you need to take action immediately. Electrical devices smoking isn’t just a bad habit; it’s a sign the health of your wiring is poor. The smoking indicates something is burning, and when it continues to do so, you could find your whole home going up in flames.

3. Noisy Electrical

The electric in your home should run without making any noise. What you might be blaming on paranormal activity usually signifies outdated wiring. Noises like buzzing, crackling or sizzling signal issues like a short, a faulty electric panel or fuse box or an overloaded circuit.

4. Burning Smell

You might notice a burning smell around your electrical, or you may just start smelling a burning smell in your home that you can’t identify the source of. It tends to smell like a burning candle. You might just notice the smell occasionally. The odor means wires in your home are starting to melt.

5. Discoloration Around the Outlet

One sign of old wiring is discoloration around the outlet on the cover or even up the wall. The area may appear scorched with black or brown discoloration. This is a sign the wiring behind the wall is getting too hot.

6. Warm Spots

Your outlets shouldn’t get hot from your electrical for any reason. The electric runs behind the walls through coated wiring that protects the electrical current from escaping. Unfortunately, as the wiring ages, the coating doesn’t trap the current like it should, which will cause the electric to escape and heat the wall. Usually, these spots arise on the outlet. Ultimately, this puts your home at risk of catching on fire.

7. Aluminum Wiring

Today, copper dominates as the most reliable and conductive material for electrical wiring. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, homes were commonly built using aluminum wiring. It’s a safety hazard since the connections loosen over time. The loose connections cause overheating and are a fire hazard, especially when you plug appliances into them.

8. Knob and Tube Wiring

Originating in the 1880s, knob and tube wiring is highly outdated. It was only used until the 1970s and consisted of rubber, which breaks down over time to expose bare wires. Without the protective coating on them, the moisture and air reach the wires, which increases your risk of a short or fire.

9. Frayed Wiring

With age, comes problems with your wiring. For instance, the wires may fray and cause electrocution. They also lead to faulty operation of electric devices and fire.

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Call the Experts

The signs of bad wiring in the house are red flags you must act upon immediately. Remember, electrical fires caused by negligence will likely lead to your insurer failing to accept your claim for damages should the worst happen.

Electrical fires pose a risk to you, your family, and your possessions. With a simple fix from a licensed, bonded, and vetted electrician from SWAN, you can spend just a few dollars to preserve the things that matter most to you.