Finding An Emergency Electrician For Your Aging Home | Myrtle Beach, SC

4/20/2022

In Myrtle Beach, SC, there’s a great mix of old and new houses. Although old homes have their distinctive charms and vintage artistry, new homes can generally boast that they’re up to date with certain construction standards like electrical codes. Many older homes may be operating with electrical systems that are out of date and subject to the types of problems that necessitate the visit of an emergency electrician. To ensure that your older home’s electrical system is safe and functioning as it should, you should rely on Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach to perform a thorough inspection.

Why Have Your Old Home’s Electrical Checked Out?

The main reason to have your electrical system checked out is to ensure that it’s up to code. When your electrical system is up to modern codes and standards, your home is safer. There’s a reduced risk for electrical fires or for problems that might require an emergency electrician to visit. Also, if you intend to sell your home in the near future, you will likely need to have your electrical system updated to meet the code as well. Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach features affordable electrical system inspections. Our trained electricians will make sure that your system is compliant and functioning as it should.

What Are Common Electrical Problems Associated with Old Houses?

During an inspection of your home’s electrical system, an electrician will keep an eye trained to spot some common problems that often plague older houses. Even though some issues might not be causing you a problem now, they could require a call to an emergency electrician if not attended to. Some common electrical problems that affect older homes in Myrtle Beach include:

Fuse Box Issue

Some older houses may still have old fuse boxes rather than recommended circuit breaker panels. New houses, of course, are constructed with modern circuit breaker panels. In the past, fuse boxes were used to cut off electricity when a circuit was overloaded. The wires in the fuse would melt and blow the fuse. Before electricity could be restored to the circuit, the fuse had to be replaced. Today, however, circuit breakers provide this safety measure. When too much electricity flows, the switch flips and the electricity is cut off to the circuit. All the homeowner needs to do is flip the breaker back into place to restart the electrical current. Although fuse boxes aren’t inherently dangerous, they’re less convenient to manage and have become outdated.

Aluminum Wiring

If your older Myrtle Beach, SC, home has aluminum wiring, it’s prone to heat up more than copper wires, which are standard today. If aluminum wires heat up and melt the insulation, you have a serious risk of fire. If you note that the heating action of your aluminum wiring has loosened your electrical connections, you should contact an emergency electrician from Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach to address this issue.

Knob and Tube Wiring

Knob and tube wiring was commonplace in homes during the 1950s and earlier. Unfortunately, these electrical systems do not support today’s modern appliances. As your newer appliances draw on the electricity, it can cause the wires of the knob and tube system to heat up; this poses a fire hazard. Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach can consult with you about updating this type of electrical system.

Two-Prong Outlets

Two-prong outlets were commonplace in old homes. Unfortunately, these outlets aren’t grounded like three-prong outlets are. That’s an electrocution hazard, especially if the ungrounded outlets are located in bathrooms or kitchens. Also, today’s modern appliances come with three-prong cords. They require a three-pronged outlet. While you might not need an emergency electrician to change your outlets immediately, you should prioritize this task and have them changed as soon as possible for safety’s sake.

What Can I Expect During an Electrical System Inspection?

When you contact Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach, we’ll send an experienced electrician to inspect your older home’s electrical system. Unless you need an emergency electrician to attend to a current problem, we can schedule the inspection at your convenience. During our visit, we will perform the following checks:

• Check the wiring for signs of overheating.
• Check for faulty wiring
• Check the condition of outlets and light switches
• Evaluate electrocution hazards (address issues such as exposed electrical wires or overloaded circuits)
• Ensure that arc fault circuit interrupters are functioning properly
• Ensure security lighting is safe and that grounding systems are functioning
• Test the house’s whole-home surge protector if it has one
• Check the proper placement of smoke detectors
• Inspect the electrical panel
• Check the outdoor electrical system
• Note any code infractions

After completing the inspection, our electrician will provide you with a report of the findings. If there are problems that need to be addressed, we can schedule a time to make any necessary updates or repairs. If our findings uncover a serious problem, our emergency electrician can address the issue. Our electrician can go over each part of the report to ensure you understand any recommendations or safety hazards.

Keeping your home, whether old or new, in a safe condition is a priority. Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach can handle all aspects of your home’s electrical system. We can send an emergency electrician to your Myrtle Beach, SC, home if you need immediate service or we can schedule a service call at your convenience.

If you’re having any type of electrical problem such as flickering lights or circuit breakers that keep tripping, it’s never a good idea to ignore any electrical issue. Even homes that have up-to-date electrical systems can experience issues that require the attention of an emergency electrician. Contact us before small problems become larger ones and compromise the safety of your home.

Photo By Felix Mizioznikov at Shutterstock