Worried About A Flickering Light? Signs You Need To Hire An Electrician

It is one of the things that, legally, has to be disclosed when you are buying or renting a home; the condition of the electrical system. After all, there is a very good reason why homes that have older kinds of electrical setups, or damaged ones, go for a fraction of the price!

While there is a lot to be said for being able to fix minor electrical issues in a home, when it comes to more serious issues with the electrics, it may be time to swallow your pride and contact a trained electrician to help you. How do you differentiate between the 2?

Read on, and if in doubt, in the meantime, at least wear rubber gloves!

Frequent Issues

If your circuit breakers are tripping out all the time, you have flickering lights, or you have outlets that aren’t working properly, then you need to call an electrical contractor.

The main benefit of doing this is the quick diagnostics, the resolution, and, of course, the ability to call the electrician back out to your home or place of work should the issue happen again, usually free of charge.

Electric Shocks

Most people have experienced static electric shocks when they touch a surface like an escalator. However, if you are noticing that there is a higher incidence of electric shocks happening near sockets in your home or place of work, then you really need to call in an electrician to have a look at what the cause is. In most cases, it is due to frayed wiring behind the walls, or there may even be a leak that you cannot see, which is impacting the way the electricity is conducted.

Burning Smell or Smoke

This is an issue that haunts most people who have seen it or experienced it!

If you notice that there is a burning smell in your home that appears after a wall socket is turned on, or if you see smoke coming out of a wall socket, then for your own safety, turn all of the power off in your home and call an emergency electrician to come out. If the smoke continues from the socket, then evacuate the home and wait until you are given the all-clear before you re-enter.

Out-of-Date Electrical System

This is a big one for people who are buying a home that is seemingly a bargain- you will need to check the condition of the electrical system before moving in to make sure that it is safe.

Knob and tube wiring, as well as aluminum-based wiring, are outdated electrical systems and, as such, when paired with more modern devices, pose a real fire risk. So, be sure to contact an electrician to ensure that all of your electrical wiring is up to date – and safe before you plug anything in.

Renovating

This is one of the less worrying reasons to hire an electrician.

If you are renovating your home or having an extension added (like a conservatory), then it is only fair and safe to have all of the work completed by an electrical expert. This is, in fact, mandatory for home insurance to stay valid, so be sure to hire a qualified team who can sign off on the paperwork.