A stable, sufficient and safe electrical system is essential to modern living. Electricity powers appliances, heating and cooling systems, electronics and much more. Staying ahead of electrical issues is consequently just as important. You have to know what could go wrong so that you can stay on guard against potential problems, though. Here are six frequent electrical problems that may appear in your home.
1. Capacity Mismatches
As electricians, we typically measure the capacity of the overall electrical system and its components in amps. Notably, you need to have electrical systems in your home that all match the same expected capacities without causing overloads. Otherwise, the circuit breakers on the line might trip. Worse, there are scenarios where overloads can start fires.
Suppose you have a refrigerator that uses a typical amount of peak capacity like 20 amps. That means the circuit has to provide at least 20 amps of electricity, and there also ought to be a little overhead. We might perhaps install a 30-amp circuit breaker. However, a frequently overlooked problem is the amperage capacity of the wiring. Many people install bigger circuit breakers without doing wiring upgrades. Running a 30-amp circuit with 15-amp wiring could cause the wires to melt, posing a fire hazard.
Always avoid capacity mismatches in your home’s electrical system. If a 30-amp circuit breaker goes into the electrical panel, then the rest of the circuit needs matching wiring.
2. No or Insufficient Safety Features
Not every circuit in a house needs robust safety features. For example, you may see bedrooms with nothing but two-prong outlets with no grounding support because people only plug in lamps. However, modern lifestyles are making electrical safety more important.
Many people run three-prong outlets with ground throughout their homes, regardless of necessity. The design is backward compatible with two-prong plugs anyhow, so it’s just a simple solution. One notable safety upgrade missing in many homes is a ground-fault circuit interrupter. A GFCI is similar to a circuit breaker, but it cuts off the circuit at the outlet if it detects a problem. GFCI outlets are particularly common in kitchens and bathrooms because they mitigate risks associated with water near plugs. Many homeowners also install GFCI outlets in outdoor terminals because of rain and humidity concerns.
Whole-home surge protection is a less common but more robust safety option. Surge protection mitigates the risk that an extreme capacity overload will start melting wires or arcing circuits in your house. Particularly, a whole-home surge protector reduces the risks associated with lightning strikes or local energy system surges.
3. Inferior Electrical Panels
The electrical panel acts as the traffic cop for all of the electricity that comes into and passes around your house. Bus bars in the panel connect the main power system to all of the circuits. Typically, people assign the circuits in the electrical panel to specific systems or rooms. For example, you might have a circuit just for the HVAC. Many individual rooms in a house have their own circuit as well. This makes shutting off power very easy if the electrical panel is well-labeled.
The problem is that an electrical panel can be too inferior to do its job well or efficiently. If the panel is old, it may have internal corrosion. Corrosion increases resistance in circuits, making the flow of electricity more inefficient and unsafe. Over time, an aged electrical panel could significantly increase your monthly electric bill.
Even if a panel is in good shape, it might be lacking in quality. To save money, some homeowners use panels with inferior conductors like aluminum or even steel. The most efficient solution is an electrical panel that employs copper, especially at the bus bars.
4. No Support for Modern Electrical Needs
Another common issue is a lack of support for modern electrical solutions. If you have an EV charging station, for example, it might not have the necessary support for 220- or 240-volt power. Many homes have 220/240 support for one or two appliances, with the most common being electric washers and dryers. Your house may need an electrical panel upgrade before it can properly support an EV charging station.
A similar but more complex problem is the lack of support for a generator. Backup power is important, especially in a region that is prone to storms. One prolonged power outage could leave your house without air conditioning, leading to problems with mold. A generator can keep the electricity running even when the grid is down due to hurricanes and other adverse events.
However, your home’s electrical system needs to properly integrate a generator. It has to safely connect to the system without causing an overload risk. Likewise, it has to avoid feeding electricity back into the grid because that could endanger utility workers. You also need a generator and an electrical system that will meet your household needs.
5. Loose Connections
Every electrical system has aging issues, and one of the most common is loose connections. These can happen anywhere in your house that systems connect. Sockets can loosen due to wear and tear. Electrical wires’ connections inside outlets can loosen due to heating expansion and contraction. Circuit breakers can loosen in their sockets because of electrical resistance. Even light sockets will loosen.
You may notice a loose connection for a host of reasons. A light might flicker on and off. You could smell something from the electrical arc as the electricity tries to complete a loose circuit. Some devices could stop working. A loose connection could also trip a circuit breaker. In extreme cases, a switch or outlet might even shock you. An electric hum may also be detectable.
In some instances, the solution is just as simple as having one of our electricians tighten the connection. Other cases may call for replacing components that are too old and loose.
6. Too Few Outlets
An increasingly common problem due to changing electrical consumption habits is a lack of outlets in a house. As homeowners connect more devices like phone chargers, televisions, computers, power tools and appliances, they are just running out of outlets. Many people compensate by using extension cords to reach underserved spots in their homes. Others use power strips to make up for too few outlets.
These solutions could overload circuits. Depending on the circumstances, the result could be anything from a damaged device to a fire. Adding more outlets is a good way to make electricity safer and more accessible.
Ultimate Homes & Cooling proudly serves the households of Cape Coral, FL, and the surrounding areas with our electrical services. We offer free consultations with no obligation. If you need a licensed electrical contractor for your installation or repair needs, we’re prepared to assist you. We also handle HVAC installation and maintenance along with swimming pool heater repairs. Reach out to us today to find out more about any of our services, including electrical repair or surge protection!
