How often do you think about your electrical panel? Does a damaged electrical system haunt you in your dreams? Chances are, this vital part of your home has never even crossed your mind.
Now, we’re not here to give you electrical fire nightmares and we definitely aren’t suggesting that you should lose sleep about an overloaded circuit, but you do need to pay some attention to this lifeblood of your home’s power.
All your home’s power flows from your electrical panel. Every single plug is sent electricity by this all-important heart of the home. If your panel needs to be upgraded, it can be a serious safety threat. In fact, an overloaded circuit is one of the biggest fire hazards in a residence that can lead to an electrical fire.
You can keep your family and your home safe by watching out for these six signs that your electrical system needs updated.
- Flickering or dimming lights
If your lights are randomly going dim or even flickering, you might think a ghost has invaded your home. While a poltergeist is a more exciting reason for the weird mood lighting, this issue is most likely because of a struggling electrical panel or there is an issue with your utility company. Storms can often cause lights to flicker or dim, but if your lights are going haywire when you turn on a hair dryer or use the microwave, your electrical panel might be the culprit.
- Frequent tripped or failed circuits
Failed or tripped circuit breakers happen occasionally in a healthy electrical system, but if this happens often, you need to have your electrical panel checked out by a professional.
- Melting or burning smells
If you see any parts melted around your circuit breaker or you smell something burning, call in a professional electrician immediately. An electrical fire could be imminent.
- The panel feels warm
Many homeowners might think that warmth from an electrical panel should be warm, because things like light bulbs are warm to the touch when turned on. It seems to be expected that heat from electricity is normal. Not so fast—in the case of electrical panels, warmth is a very bad sign that the system is struggling to supply power.
- Your home is older and hasn’t been remodeled
If your older home is still running on the original electrical panel, it’s probably time for an upgrade! Faulty or worn out wiring can also be a factor in older homes.
- You use lots of power strips and extension cords
A few extension cords or power strips shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re relying on many of these, you could be sapping your home’s power quickly while also causing damage to your electrical system.
If one or more of the above issues is something you’ve observed, it’s time for you to call in a pro. The electricians at Grounded Solutions are here to help upgrade your electrical panel so your home can keep humming and your family stays safe. Ensure you’re powered up while protecting your home with a check-up and possible replacement from Grounded Solutions.
Contact Grounded Solutions to schedule your electrical panel inspection now: https://groundedin.com/about/
