4 Signs to Check Your Wiring

Whether you’ve just purchased a home or moved your business into a new building, you may have noticed some quirks that have you concerned about the wiring. Here are four signs that you should have your wiring inspected.

Flickering Lights

Once you’ve determined that the flickering lights aren’t an issue with the light bulbs themselves, the wiring to the fixture is the most likely culprit. Whether it’s a loose connection or an overloaded circuit, an issue in the wiring can cause random flickering and dimming.

Tripped Breakers

This is especially likely in older buildings, which were wired before the addition of many modern fixtures and appliances. If your circuits are overloaded because there are too many things on one circuit, or they just weren’t built to run a row of computers, you’ll see a lot of tripped breakers. Upgrading the circuits and rewiring to handle higher loads can take the pressure off.

Hot Spots

Are there random warm spots on your walls? Especially accompanied by buzzing sounds? Yeah, something is bad and it requires an electrician. It’s normal to “hear” electricity - that’s why the silence is spooky during a power outage - but if it’s a really noticeable buzzing or crackling, you could be headed toward an electrical fire.

Scorch Marks

If you see scorch or burn marks (usually sooty black marks) around outlets or switches, it’s a pretty good sign that, even if it’s been repaired, there was a problem with the wiring at some point. It’s always worth a second look to make sure everything is safe.