Electrical Wiring Problems Within House

Age

• Electrical wires can lose their insulation as they age, creating a serious safety hazard. Many house fires result from old, damaged wires. Signs of aging wires include flickering light bulbs, frequent power outages and unusual sounds or odors emanating from the electrical system. Have an electrician perform an inspection if any of these problems occur. You should also have an inspection performed if more than 10 years has passed since the last one. Check your service panel for a tag that gives the date of the last inspection.

Capacity

• Your home's electrical system has the capacity to supply only a certain amount of electricity. If you overload a circuit, the fuse will blow or the circuit breaker will shut down the power to that area of the home. Check the amount of watts an appliance needs before putting it on a circuit. Ensure that the circuit can provide enough power before adding additional appliances. Most circuits can handle either 1800 or 2400 watts, depending on whether they are 15 or 20 amps. If a circuit overloads continually or you need more power than the system provides, call an electrician.

AFCI

• Sparks from damaged wires can lead to potentially deadly house fires. A recent innovation, called an arc fault circuit interrupter, or AFCI, performs the same function as a circuit breaker but also has the ability to recognize and contain any dangerous wiring problems before a fire breaks out. A report by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development pinpointed the lack of AFCIs in homes as a significant source of fires and fire-related injuries. Many jurisdictions require the use of AFCIs for specific circuits, such as those providing power to bedrooms.

Permits and Inspection

• Most municipalities require permits and inspections for certain types of electrical work. Always check with your local building code officials before having any work performed. Minor repairs, such as replacing an outlet, replacing a light fixture or exchanging a fuse or circuit breaker with an identical one, usually do not require permits. More extensive work, such as adding a new circuit to the home or a rewiring a house, typically requires both a permit and an inspection after the work is completed.