Why Do Homeowners Need Electrician Services? | Myrtle Beach, SC

1/9/2020

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Faulty wiring is a very common cause of house fires. Older homes in Myrtle Beach, SC, frequently contain electrical systems that do not meet current standards of safety. Electrician services are one of the most important professional home maintenance services available in Myrtle Beach, SC.

An electrical fire does not just destroy property, it is a life-threatening event for everyone in the home. Electrical fires are especially dangerous because there may be very little warning before the fire spreads. A fire inside a home’s walls may be in multiple rooms before the occupants realize a fire exists.

Electrical Panels and Extension Cords

Wires are available in many different gauges. A wire that is too small for the amount of electricity in a circuit can overheat and short out. This is a fire hazard, especially if the wire is located somewhere out of sight. Electrical codes specify the length of stripped wires attached to switch and outlets.

Extension cords with a smaller copper wire gauge than the original circuit overheat when they conduct too much electricity as well. This is even more dangerous because fuses and circuit breakers cannot detect a problem.

The normal safety measures that would flip a circuit to prevent fires are not effective when extension cords are the wrong size or plugged into plastic extenders. Professional electrician services prevent these risks and find better, and safer, solutions for a lack of outlets than running multiple extensions cords throughout a home.

Size differences between certain types of fuses can be very small and easily overlooked. Fuses break electrical circuits if the circuit becomes overloaded to protect the home and overall electrical system. An incorrectly sized replacement fuse is ineffective and puts the home at risk of fire.

Excessive stripped wire inside an electrical box is also a fire hazard and causes a lot of damage to electrical devices during power surges or fluctuations. Electrical panels can become a hazard even if they remain completely unchanged.

Old electrical panels cannot always handle increased electric usage of modern homes and appliances. An overloaded panel overheats easily. Electrician services may include replacing or updating electrical boxes.

Outlets

Many older homes do not ground wires at outlets. Switching a 2-prong outlet for a 3-prong outlet without grounding it is a code violation. It also forces enough electricity across the cover plate to cause a fatal shock if a short circuit occurs. Loose outlets and switches can cause malfunctions and overheating in appliances, lights, and other electric devices.

Outdoor outlets contain round-fault interrupter buttons that trip the outlet in the presence of water. An outdoor outlet without an interrupter, or with an improperly installed interrupter, can short out and overheat if it gets wet.

Hot and neutral wires can be confused while installing an outlet. This mistake is not easily noticed because electrical devices still work. Unfortunately, the first sign of this mistake is often a dangerous or deadly electrical shock. Prevent risk of electrocution by hiring electrician services to install outlets.

Liability Issues

Codes regulating electrical systems in Myrtle Beach, SC may become a problem if home owners decide to put a house on the market. The home will be inspected to make sure it is safe before banks will approve a mortgage loan.

A home with faulty wiring cannot pass inspection. Every problem must be fixed before the home is approved for sale. These problems can be avoided by using professional electrician services for routine repairs and maintenance.

Certain types of electrical work in a building may require permits. Property owners are liable for damages if they complete the work without correct permits and something goes wrong.

Open Splices

An open slice is a connection of two or more wires that is not contained in a box. Open slices are surprisingly common. Many homes have open splices in basements, attics, and kitchens. Electricity jumps when electrical wire connections come apart.

Jumping, or arcing, electricity creates heat and sparks that cause fires in nearby flammable material. Dryer lint around open slices in basements accounts for numerous houses fires every year. Fires in attics are relatively common as well. Professional electrician services splice wires safely with metal or plastic boxes.

Unintentional Hazards

Sometimes problems with electrical wiring occur slowly over time or occur as a side effect of other actions in the home. Homeowners may not notice damaged wires. Wires running through beams in basements or holes drilled in walls can rub against hard edges.

Wiring often becomes a mess gradually. Power strips provide extra outlets. Rushed additional hook-ups to electrical panels or networks of extension cords may be meant as temporary solutions, but they may be forgotten and left in a precarious state.

Protective layers slowly peel away when wires develop nicks and tears. Wires are easily damaged and protective layers can tear and peel away. People may be electrocuted while moving wires or trying to trace a wire to its source. Electronic devices can be damaged if a plug comes out of an outlet accidentally.

Tight knots of wires can even create resistance to the electricity flowing through them and cause overheating. It is safer to seek electrician services to clean up and organize a complex tangle of wires instead of attempting it alone.

Moving furniture or home renovations may inadvertently change the position of wires or pull on them with constant tension. Friction eventually wears away outer layers until live wires are in contact with wood, plastic, plaster, and other materials.

These damaged wires probably won’t be noticed until a problem occurs. Hire professional electrician services during any home renovation projects and have the electrical system inspected at least once a year.

The consequences of faulty wiring are too severe to take chances. Hire the professionals at Mister Sparky with valid credentials for electrician services to ensure your home’s electrical system is safe.