Electrical problems in the home are concerning. After all, your home and your family’s safety are at stake. Electrical surges, flickering lights, and tripping circuit breakers could spell trouble for your home’s electrical system. Here are seven common electrical problems. If your Houston home is experiencing any of them, it may be time to contact an electrician to evaluate the issue and resolve the problem.

Electrical problems in the home

1.  Electrical Surges

If your home has electrical surges on an ongoing basis, it may signal something ominous. It could be something as minor as needing to remove a cheaply made device from an outlet to see if the problem resolves. Or it could be your home’s wiring, which would mean that you should seek the advice of an electrician as soon as possible. Electrical surges have many causes, ranging from power line damage to bad electrical wiring in your home to a faulty appliance or a lightning strike. If your home has too many power surges, it can damage your home’s appliances or electrical system and shorten their lifespan. In any case, it may be best to get the opinion of an experienced electrician.

2.  Tripping Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers are meant to protect your home, so in effect, when it trips, it’s doing its job. Appliances that have high wattage could be the culprit, especially when too many are used on the same power source. This often happens when you’re using an appliance for a short time, like a hairdryer or microwave. When your circuit breaker trips, try to notice what you were using when it happened to avoid repeating the situation. Otherwise, if in doubt, ask an electrician about it.

3.  Electrical Shocks

Electrical shocks aren’t fun. Most electrical shocks are mild and feel similar to static electricity. Still, experiencing a jolt of electricity does remind you to have more respect for something that could be dangerous at times. Many electrical shocks tend to occur when you turn something on or off or plug something in. It could signal a problem with the wiring itself or with the device or appliance you’re using. You may be inclined to test things by plugging a different device into an outlet to see if the same thing happens. The problem with that is if it’s the wiring, you’re risking more shocks. All in all, it’s always safer to have an electrician check things out.

4.  Light Switches Aren’t Working Right

Some Houston homeowners find that when they move into a new home, the light switches aren’t working. Or, lighting with dimmer switches doesn’t adjust correctly. The latter can be attributed to poor workmanship or a product that is below standard. Faulty dimmer switches could be a problem with the electrical system, such as faulty wiring or a bad circuit. These issues absolutely warrant calling an electrician out to inspect the problem.

5.  Bulbs Burning Out Too Frequently

If the lightbulbs in your home are burning out more than you feel is normal, there could be a few reasons. There could be bad wiring on the circuit or a poor connection on the circuit. The latter may be especially true if it flickers before burning out. Or, the wattage could be too high. This is common on dimmer switches where there may be too much wattage on a single switch. The insulation may also be too close to the light. In any case, it often takes a professional electrician to isolate the problem and determine the cause. If you feel like it’s a good idea to buy up stock in General Electric because you’re using so many bulbs, it’s probably a good idea to set up an appointment with an electrician.

6.  High Electric Bills

Though consistently high power bills don’t necessarily mean there’s an electrical problem, there may be ways to reduce your electric bills. First, locate any electrical device that is causing power surges in your home. These can damage your home’s electrical system, while also making it more expensive to power your home. It would help if you also unplugged any appliances and phone charges that aren’t in use. It goes without saying that any damaged wires or circuits in your home’s electrical components should be repaired or replaced by an electrician. A damaged electrical system is potentially dangerous and can cause a fire or electrical shocks.

7.  Lights That Are Excessively Bright or Too Dim

If the lighting in your home isn’t consistent, some may be too bright while others are too dim. This isn’t normal. Make sure that all the bulbs in the house are identical. Different types of lights have different wattage, and having various inconsistencies can cause uneven lighting. Another cause could be a bad neutral connection in the main line. This type of issue needs the attention of an electrician.

The Takeaway

Electrical problems in your Houston home could have simple causes that are easily addressed. But if the problems persist or you think you have an electrical emergency on your hands, you should contact a local, reputable electrician.

The safety of your loved ones is the most important thing, as is the integrity of your home. It would be best not to put things off when it comes to electrical safety.

Contact Illuminations Lighting Design to help diagnose electrical issues in your home. It’ll give you the peace of mind you need in knowing all is well with your electrical system.

Our electrical experts serve Greater Houston and all of the surrounding areas in Texas. We’d love to hear from you. Call us at 713-863-1133 to get an electrical evaluation today.