4 SIGNS OF POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
In a Home
Homeowners
know that the
work of maintaining
a home is never
done. Cleaning is a
daily task associated
with homeownership,
and such sessions can
reveal more than dust
buildup or dirty walls
and surfaces.
When cleaning a home, homeowners can pull double duty and
look for potentially hazardous situations. For example, vacuuming
and dusting sessions can present a great opportunity to spot
electrical hazards that might otherwise go unseen. With that in
mind, homeowners can keep an eye out for these four signs of
potential electrical hazards when working around the house.
1. Tingling when touching an electrical appliance: The National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) advises homeowners
to call a qualified electrician immediately if they experience a
tingling feeling when touching an electrical appliance. The Electrical
Safety Office notes experiencing a tingle or the feeling of
being shocked is not normal. Homeowners who experience such
a feeling should avoid the location and warn others in the home
to do the same.
2. Wall outlets that look or feel unusual: Wall outlets do not
garner much attention, as many are low enough to be out of sight
or even behind furniture. So a cleaning session might be the only
time homeowners will notice issues with wall outlets. The NFPA
notes discolored outlets or outlets that feel warm to the touch is
a sign of an electrical problem. Various issues can cause outlets
to look or feel unusual. An outlet could be short-circuiting or
wires could be damaged, and each issue merits the attention of a
qualified electrician.
3. Foul odors: An odor that calls to mind burning rubber is another
indicator of an electrical problem. Various electrical experts
indicate such odors can be indicative of damaged wiring,
an overloaded circuit or loose connections, each of which poses a
significant safety hazard. The NFPA urges homeowners to contact
a qualified electrician immediately if they sense a smell of
burning rubber in their homes.
4. Flickering lights: Homeowners won’t need to wait until
cleaning sessions to notice flickering lights. Such flickering
is hard to miss regardless of what residents are doing inside a
home. Sometimes lights flicker because of a loose bulb, so homeowners
who notice flickering should first turn off the light, let
the bulb cool down if need be and then check to make sure it isn’t
loose. If the bulb isn’t loose, then lights could be flickering for a
multitude of reasons. A loose connection can cause flickering,
as can an overloaded circuit. Homeowners also may not realize
that not all bulbs and dimmer switches are designed to work
together. For example, modern LED light bulbs often require
the installation of specific dimmer switches or the lights won’t
operate properly. Flickering can result if these products are not
compatible. If a home is old, then flickering lights could be due
to old wiring that needs to be replaced.•
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Edition 817 Spaces - Spring 2025 www.ALLISLANDMEDIA.com