Did you know that electrical appliances cause 40% of ALL household fires in Australia? A country with one of the best living standards in the world. Yet it’s shocking how much time our firefighters spend tackling these types of fires.
This is especially terrifying, knowing many of these fires could have been prevented with just a tiny bit of prior knowledge. Unfortunately, what usually starts as a small insignificant electrical fault results in a major fire and permanent damage.
However, by following a few simple household checks, you can keep both your family and home safe from electrical fires. So what should you be checking for, and for what reasons should you call a Sydney lighting electrician?
Repeatedly Tripping Circuit Breaker
We know the score. You can go weeks and even months with an electrical system tripping every time too many appliances are plugged in around the house.
However, dodging this issue for too long is a serious fire hazard. After all, there’s a reason your circuit keeps cutting out, and that’s to protect the electrics from further damage. Keep ignoring the issue, and eventually, the system will be overpowered. If your circuit is repeatedly tripping, have a lighting electrician inspect it.
High-Temperature Outlets
One of the clearest indicators of electrical issues is outlets hot to the touch. If you touch a socket and find it’s producing an abnormal amount of heat, it’s time to call an electrician. This can be a very early sign of an electrical fire, so be safe and prevent it early. Even if you think it’s not too big of a deal now, it’s much better to be preventative now than regret later.
You Can Smell Burning
It goes without saying; if you smell burning, turn all of your power off via the mains circuit switchboard and call an electrician as soon as possible. Don’t try and do anything about it yourself. This is the first stage of an electrical fire and can happen for several reasons; old wiring, poor electrical insulation, and outdated electrical practices.
Lights Brighten & Dim On Their Own Accord
Flickering lights are likely due to a circuit overload, essentially flooding the electrical system by demanding too much power. While not a drastic issue compared to other scenarios on this list, it’s undoubtedly a solid indicator for more significant problems down the track. Call an electrician early and put a stop before it snowballs into something worse.
Old Cotton/Aluminium Wiring
Old cotton/aluminium wiring can be a major cause of electrical fires. While modern buildings will meet high electrical certification standards, many older buildings severely lack it. In 2022, firefighters in Australia will fight 4500 residential fires per year on average, so help contribute to lowering that number by getting your wiring checked out before it becomes a serious problem.
Electric Shocks
If you’re getting electric shocks every time you flick the lights, it indicates that something isn’t right.
You’ll be surprised how long people put up with an issue like this. Add in the nation’s favourite attitude of ‘she’ll be right’ regarding any non-life-threatening matters, and you have a recipe for a household electrical fire.
Outlets that produce shocks are a sign that output is receiving too much electrical output, and you should contact a lighting electrician as soon as you can.
Prevention First
If you’re experiencing any of these problems, call a lighting electrician asap. Don’t leave it until it is too late; just get it sorted early and ensure you have no regrets.
To summarise, here are those main issues to look for:
- Repeatedly tripping circuit breakers
- High-temperature outlets
- Burning smell
- Flickering lights
- Old cotton/aluminium wiring
- Electric shocks
We have a knowledgeable team of electricians who can help protect and ensure your home is electrically safe and sound. If you need any help to hire a lighting electrician in Sydney, please reach out to us today. Whatever your need, we can connect you with outdoor lighting electricians and commercial lighting electricians. Call us today; we’d love to help.
