We rely on the wonders of electricity to keep our days moving.

That is why we have to keep an eye on our electrical utilities and wiring to make sure nothing gets in the way of productivity. However, there are a number of electrical emergencies which inevitably manifest and can cause significant perturbation.

There are common electrical emergencies, however, that can be fixed with a few hand tools and basic electrical knowledge. To help you keep an eye on electrical hazards, here are 5 of the most common electrical emergencies in your homes and how to avoid them:

Broken Switches

Probably the most common electrical problem in every household is a broken or hanging switch, which is usually caused by a loose connection and improper wall fixture. While this is a minor emergency, the loose wires inside the assembly can actually short and start a fire.

You can prevent this from happening by making sure the switch components are properly attached in the first place. Poor placement of switches as well as improper wiring can be identified by having your switches examined.

Additionally, don’t fiddle with the sensitive switches too much. All of us have tried balancing our switches between off and on as children to see if the light illuminates half the brightness or rapidly flicking it similar to lights in horror films. However, it only ends up badly – a fair amount of disappointment and a malfunctioning switch.

Loose Power Outlets

Even your portable gadgets need to be plugged in for recharging. However, frequent use of your power outlets will eventually loosen the wall mount and the outlet itself could end up hanging inside the frame. While you may have tried using it, carefully inserting the plug inside with minimal force, you may accidentally damage your gadget by a power surge from the loose power connection.

You can avoid this common problem by making sure the outlet is flush with the wall, not protruding too much or sunken. In addition, do not use too much force when plugging in your adaptor. If it does not fit on your first try, try to adjust your angle and plug it back in with only a moderate force. Your power sockets can get damaged if you plug your adaptors forcefully, breaking the plastic shims inside the outlet.

Short Circuits

Some electrical appliances, such as hair dryers, eat up a significant amount of power. Using demanding appliances at once can frequently trip or short your circuits. Worse, they can melt down outlets and start a fire – which can only be put off by dry-chemical fire extinguishers. While trip-offs can be fixed by resetting your breaker, you also have to deal with the implicit problems underlying the emergency.

The repeated occurrence of tripping while using a particular appliance indicates that the appliance is what actually causes the problem and not your electrical system. You can try to check if a worn-out internal wire is grounded to the components, shorting the circuit.

Bulb Burnouts

It is fairly common for lightbulbs to burnout over a course of time. Your main lightbulbs have a higher chance of burning out faster than your night lamps or dim lights due to more frequent usage. However, if this is a recurring scenario, especially for bulb blowouts, then it might only be a symptom to a worse problem, potentially leading to an electrical emergency.

With the right screwdriver and a connectivity tester, you can prevent this problem by checking for poor connections on the bulb socket and its wiring. Furthermore, check to see if your bulb’s wattage is compatible with the socket’s wattage capacity. Fitting a high-watts bulb on a socket with lower wattage can cause overheating, emergency shut-offs, or worse, start a fire.

Warm Outlets

If you plug an electrical device for a moment, only to find out that the outlet it’s plugged in has warmed up significantly, then you have to diagnose it to a professional electrician. While opening the outlet to look for loose connections, or checking your gadget’s wattage can help you out, recurring instances of this problem is a serious safety concern. Most of it had to do with the circuitry in your device or a power surge in your electrical system.

Using a surge protection device for your electrical system is a good idea. Since it will flatten out transients and power surges which can fry any appliance plugged into your system. Moreover, having a certified electrician to check up your home’s electrical wiring and all other components is essential. Maintaining your electrical system in good health also ensures your family’s safety from electrical emergencies – so you can get the most out of your energy.

Conclusion

You can deal with electrical emergencies with your own hands and the right skills and knowledge. With the necessary tools and by reading the tips discussed above, preventing the most common problems and emergencies with electricity is possible. However, we can only do so much with our time – for these incidents as well as thorough investigation and repairs in our electrical system, choosing Gordon Powers as your solution is the smart choice.

We have level 2 electricians who are always ready to install your electrical components such as smoke detectors anywhere in Sydney and know where to look for electrical flaws including repairing the damaged electrical components round the clock.

Gordon Powers has the tools and the skills to tend to your electrical problems and all you have to do after setting an appointment is to get back to your day without worrying about your safety. Call us at (02) 9199 7480 for an appointment or send an enquiry at hello@gordonpowers.com.au.