7 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Electrical Outlets
Home electrical fires, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, account for about 51,000 fires each year and more than $1.3 billion property damage.
Of course, a large reason for this is that many of us ignore the tell-tale signs our electrical outlets and appliances give us. Well, actually, there are quite a number of us who don’t know these signs and can’t read the obvious writing on the wall.
Knowing the signs to look out for is going to help stop a lot of emotional stories. There are a handful of those signs actually. We’ll be laying out seven of the most important ones for you.
1. If it Smells Bad, Then it’s Probably Bad
When you buy a new appliance, it may give off odors the first few times you power it up. This is okay. However, when you begin to perceive one of those off-odors on your old appliances – something that wasn’t there before – then know that something smells ‘fishy’. This may be a sign that you need to do something quick about your electrical outlets.
But first, maybe you need to quickly turn off the outlet, unplug anything connected to it, and have a qualified electrician have a look over for you (You can find one here).
2. Not All That Sparks Is Gold
When you see sparks coming from your appliances or electrical outlet, know that this is danger! A sparking appliance, of course, may mean that the appliance itself is damaged. That would only require that you take it to an appliance repair shop. The thing about this, however, is that the spark may have been caused by a defective electrical outlet – in which case you should contact a qualified electrician.
3. Too Many (Extension Cords) is Bad For the Eye
Too many wires create an unpleasant interlocking that will lead to a situation where your cords may kink or get pinched. This is one of the leading causes of tripped breakers, damaged outlets, or even fires.
According to William Burke of the National Fire Protection Association, “an undisturbed wiring system will more or less work forever. But when it’s disturbed or altered, there’s potential for trouble.”
Come to think of it, this is one of the reasons why electric wires are concealed within walls. Other than as a matter of safety, they also add to the aesthetic beauty of our homes.
Extension cords are supposed to be used sparingly and only for short periods of time. When you find yourself needing more outlets in your home, then it is time to contact a qualified electrician and upgrade your electrical outlets.
4. Buzz. Buzz. Buzzing
If you can’t see the warning signs that your electrical outlets need an upgrade, you may still be able to hear it.
Listen out for the sound that your outlets make when they are connected. Silence and lack of whirring or buzzing may mean that your outlets are satisfied with the nature of things generally.
When you hear buzzes coming out, that is literally your electrical outlet sending out an SOS! Refraining from using that outlet is a safe way to avoid a backlash on your appliances or even to prevent a fire.
5. Dimming or Flickering Lights
When your light fittings dim or flicker the moment you plug in a high-power appliance, don’t sleep on it.
Usually, the light in your home should only require a small amount of power. A dimming or flickering situation could be caused by a high-power appliance (say a washing machine) being connected to the same circuit with your light fittings.
This shouldn’t be happening.
It means that your outlets are not compatible with the amount of charge you’re putting on them. You may have to find an electrician that would help you upgrade and move your big appliances to different circuits or have separate lines installed for major appliances.
6. The Heat Must Come From The Right Place
For appliances like toasters or hot plates, the heat should be on the appliance- not the outlet!
While a little warmness on the switch plate is still okay, an unusual amount of heat or hotness is a sign that all is not well.
You may want to turn off the appliance and try it in another outlet. But what if this still doesn’t help? What if you also find out that you have some outlets that get hot even when no appliance is plugged into them?
You may have to flip the breaker or remove the fuse for that outlet pending the moment that you swiftly contact an electrician.
7. When Fuses Blow Away and Breakers Are Tripped
Circuit breakers and fuses are like a kind of safeguard for your appliances to prevent an overload.
If you find that an appliance regularly trips a breaker regardless of the outlet it is plugged to, the problem must be with the appliance.
However, when fuses are blown by a single outlet, it most likely means that the circuit is overloaded and you may have to call a qualified electrician about an outlet upgrade.
Why You Shouldn’t Sleep on Getting an Electrical Upgrade
Safety is very important. Don’t ignore any of the signs above or delay an upgrade. The consequences of a constantly overloaded circuit breaker can be costly and hazardous.
Perhaps the least concern of this is that you can end up causing damage to your home’s electrical wiring, an outlet, or one of your high-end appliances and devices.
Worse, you run the risk of electrical arcing, serious electric shock, and fire caused by a worn-out or malfunctioning electrical outlet.
None of the consequences are savory when they can be avoided. Whenever you notice the sign above, or anything unusual, call in a qualified electrician as soon as you can.
How to Do a Quick Outlet Installation
You may think you have the expertise to run a quick fix for your faulty electrical outlets. It is not something that difficult (but it can be if you don’t know what you’re doing). If you want to do this yourself, take the following steps:
- Turn off the power at the circuit breaker or fuse.
- Remove the existing outlet.
- Prepare the circuit cable.
- Strip and identify the wires.
- Install the pigtail wires.
- Connect the ground wire.
- Connect the neutral and hot wires.
- Mount the outlet and place the GCFI into the wall box.
- Install the cover plate.
Self-Help Doesn’t Help Sometimes.
While there are some electrical problems you can handle yourself, there are a host of others that you can’t. Don’t leave the quality of your electrical outlets and appliances to chance!
Ensure you get in touch with a qualified, licensed electrician. You can get in touch with one now at Right Electrical Services, LLC. Give us a call today to discuss your home electrical service and electrical repair needs at 919-359-1017 or submit an online request to schedule service. We are your certified, licensed, and insured Raleigh electricians who guarantee a job done right the first time. Let us help you… “Do it the Right way”!
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Renee Rose
Renee is a freelance copywriter and blogger known for her expertise surrounding topics like marketing, freelancing, mental health, and more. She has written for hundreds of small business websites and is the Marketing Director here at Right Electrical Services, LLC. Renee believes that when a business prioritizes entertaining, engaging, and informational content for their readers, they can expect a loyal following that trusts their company.
We’re glad you found the information helpful, Shayla!
I’m glad that you mention how if your circuit breakers are trips and fuses blow then it’s good to check out the outlet to see if there’s a problem. You could also check out the panel for any issues. When doing this, it would probably be a good idea to work with an electrician that is experienced with circuit breaker panel services so they can check for issues and either fix the problem or install a new one to ensure that it works.
//www.pearsonelectricinc.net/services
I like the point you made about if it smells bad then it’s probably a bad situation with an electrical outlet. I imagine if you let it go too long, it can turn into an electrical emergency. Then you might have to pay extra for an electrician, so it’s good to just get professional help with issues before they get that bad. //currentelectricco.com/electrical-emergencies/
My favorite thing about this article was when you mentioned that if your light fittings dim or flickers when you plug in another appliance, you should probably contact an electrician. The other day I was visiting my parents and when I plugged in the toaster to make some toast, I noticed the kitchen light started to flicker. In my opinion, they should contact a professional service to get it fixed and be safer in their own home. //www.etheridgeelectric.com
It’s interesting to know that if you notice an unusual odor on your old appliances, that may be a sign that you need to do something about your electrical outlets. My brother noticed that the electrical installation on his new apartment looks damage, and we are looking for advice. I will call an electrician to help my brother with that problem to prevent any problems that may occur. //goslingelectrical.com/commercial/
I liked the point that not all sparks are gold – it somehow doesn’t only apply to electricity but with life in general 😀 But back to the topic, it’s a scary sign! Indeed will need the help of a professional, but also the owner should always try to practice ways that would prevent such extent to happen, because not a single emergency doesn’t make one’s heart beat a little faster. Thanks for this! Love your blogs actually. A colleague recommended me this site and it’s great.
Maye
Best Access Doors
//www.bestaccessdoors.com
Thanks for pointing out that if your lights are dimming or flickering when you plug an appliance in that’s probably a sign that your outlets aren’t working well for how much electricity you need. I noticed the other day that when I plugged my iron in to iron some clothe for work the next day my lights got dimmer and wouldn’t brighten again until I was done. I’ll have to look into hiring an electrician that can help fix that problem so that I don’t end up short circuiting my electrical system just trying to do household chores. //www.servallelectric.com/service-areas/cincinnati-oh-electrician
Thank you for your tip to make sure that you leave the electrical work to those who are qualified and licensed electricians. My brother owns a warehouse, and he was telling me some of the outlets at work stopped working and were making buzzing sounds. I’ll let him know that he needs to find a commercial electrician right away. //jrelectricalusa.com/services/commercial-services/
Thank you! We’re glad you found our electrical outlets article informative.
Thank you for explaining that if an outlet smells bad it is a sign you should change and possibly upgrade your outlets. My husband and I bought our house around 10 years ago. I think we need to call an electrician who can help us make some needed changes to the house, including upgrading the outlets.
//southamptonelectrical.com/emergency-electrician
It stood out to me when you explained that extension cords are only designed to be used for a short period of time. My husband and I got a new gaming console and soundbar last month and have had to use several extension cords to plug in everything we need to. I’ll have to start looking for electrical service to upgrade our outlets now that I know it’s an issue! //annaelectric.com/services
Thanks for your reply, Eileen! Yes, it is imperative that you maintain the life of your outlets by seeking the help of an electrician. Best of luck!
My uncle gave me one of his old properties and my mom has been thinking if it’s time that we upgrade this home into something more modern. Seeing an outlet that’s creating sparks is indeed very concerning. I should ask my mom to check out the electrical outlets of this home to avoid any accidents. //www.beckstoffer.com/
Thanks for reading, Zachary!
It was interesting when you explained that lights will dim or flicker if our outlets aren’t compatible with how much charge they’re receiving. My husband said the lights started flickering in the basement when I ran the dishwasher last night. Thanks for teaching me how to discuss the issue when we hire an electrician to take a look! //www.electric-smith.com/service-electrical-contractor
Thanks for explaining that excessive use of wires is one of the main causes of electrical fires in homes. When I was dusting behind my husband’s desk this morning, I was pretty surprised at how many tangled wires he had stuffed back there. Maybe I’ll look for an electrician in our area I can consult with about safer alternatives we could pursue for his workspace! //cornfordelectrics.com.au/index.php/electrician-preston/
It really helped when you talked about electrical outlets and how to know it’s time to replace them. Recently, my wife and I noticed how when we plug our home theater system, some of our house’s lights start to flicker a little. We thought it was nothing, but it keeps happening, so we’ll be sure to look for an electrician’s help. Thanks for the advice on how dangerous a faulty electrical outlet could be.
It really helped when you talked about electrical outlets and how to know it’s time to replace them. Recently, my wife and I noticed how when we plug our home theater system, some of our house’s lights start to flicker a little. We thought it was nothing, but it keeps happening, so we’ll be sure to look for an electrician’s help. Thanks for the advice on how dangerous a faulty electrical outlet could be. //renewelectriclv.com/services/
I find it alarming that a sparking outlet could mean that it needs repairs. My friend wants to try living alone, but he’s afraid that he might damage his future apartment due to his nature. I hope this could convince him to hire an electrician when these issues happen. //www.danwilcoxelectric.com/services/
Thanks for the heads up that old appliances giving off bad smells could indicate the need for maintenance. I’ve been wondering if I need to have some work done on my electrical systems. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for strange smells and everything else you listed. //www.midwayelectricinc.net/services-and-repairs
Thank you for explaining that the buzzing sounds from outlets is not a good one. My husband was telling me that he was hearing this the other day. I’ll be sure to get those checked out and fixed soon. //kitsapelectricinc.com/electrical-services
Thanks for pointing out that a sparking appliance may mean that the appliance is damaged. My husband and I want to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for our five kids. We are hoping to find an electrician on Monday who can inspect our appliances to ensure safety in our two-story house. //mcdonaldelectricabq.com/emergency-repair/2584025
Some of my employees were saying that they heard a buzzing come out of the walls in one of our offices. Thank you for suggesting that we not use the outlet on that wall in order to keep from having a fire. I will call for a commercial electrician first thing in the morning. //www.kevinsheather.com.au/commercial-and-industrial
Thank you for explaining that you shouldn’t be using too many extension cords. We have been relying heavily on extension cords in our new home. I’ll be sure to contact an electrician right away to see if he can help us with getting more outlets set up. //www.reinholdelectric.com