It is easy to forget how big a role the electrical wiring has in your household. Every time you flick a switch or start a machine you assume your electrical components are doing their job. However, faulty electrical wiring can be an extremely dangerous risk present in your home, and it is crucial to know the warning signs of defective wiring. 

 

The 7 warning signs of faulty electrical wiring: 

  • Buzzing lights – Your lights should work quietly, if any buzzing noise is present then you should turn your power off and contact an electrician. 
  • Flickering/dimming lights – This is a key indication of faulty wiring, there may be a problem with the wiring if they are constantly dimming or flickering. 
  • Hot outlets – It is important to know if your power outlets are generating heat without touching them. They could also give off slight vibrations which is another key indicator of faulty wiring. 
  • Sparking/ shock – Sockets should never spark or shock you, a fixture replacement is extremely urgent if they do. 
  • Circuit breakers keep tripping – Although it is normal for your circuits to trip occasionally as it means it is doing its job, constant tripping could indicate a bigger problem. 
  • Burning odor – The smell of burning plastic can be a big tell tale that there is a fault, and could indicate fire damage, call an electrician as soon as possible. 
  • Singed outlets – This is a big indication that heat is being released from the wiring underneath, this should be checked straight away as there is a high risk of electrical fire.

 

If you think you have any faulty electrical wiring, it should be assessed by a professional, always call an electrician as soon as you experience a problem.