Did you know that 51,000 residential fires occur each year, resulting in nearly 500 deaths and more than 1,400 injuries, plus $1.3 billion in property damage? This sobering data is frightening and increases yearly. Therefore, how do you ensure that your family is safe and that your most valuable investment remains intact?

Fortunately, this type of disaster is preventable with proper vigilance; especially if you become familiar with the key indicators that it’s time to call an electrical contractor. Here are some signs to watch for:

• Flickering light bulbs
• Sparks emit from outlets when plugging or unplugging appliances
• Breakers failed to reset after the tripping process
• Heat emitting from light switches, outlets, or breakers

Anytime you have these occurrences, you should contact an electrical contractor for a complete inspection of your breaker box, switches, and outlets. Plus, here are more signs to look out for.

When your lights are blinking

Blinking lights or the flickering of the bulbs may appear to be nothing more than a minor annoyance. However, repeated episodes of blinking lights require the attention of an electrical contractor immediately, since it is a sign that sockets or wiring need to get repaired. Here are some of the reasons why your bulbs might be blinking:

Fixture Issues – the bulb might have lost connection with the socket due to prolonged usage.

Defective Light Switch – the connection between the light switch and the fixture needs to be repaired or rewired.

A loose light plug- when the connection between your outlet and the plug is loosened; however, if you see sparks, then there’s an issue.

Voltage Drop – when there are appliances that require more electrical power, a voltage decrease, or an overloaded circuit can cause the bulbs to blink.

Also, a loose wiring connection can cause your bulbs to blink and eventually lead to a house fire. This occurs because the insulation of the wire has worn down because of age, and this exposes the metal part that conducts the electricity. Thus, a single spark is dangerous. However, an electrical contractor can accurately diagnose the problem and resolve it.

When You Smell the Wires Burning

In this situation, you’ll immediately head to the fuse box and turn off the main switch in the hope that the wire has not caught a spark. From there, you’ll need to contact an electrical contractor immediately. The contractor can quickly identify and repair the component that’s affected by the heat. However, this type of scenario has a sign of a more severe electrical problem.

Thus, you can expect a more thorough inspection and a more extensive solution such as replacing the breaker box, rewiring part of or the entire house, and a final look around after the work is complete. While this process won’t happen all at once, chances are that the electrician might advise you of the necessary measures and offer to do a free estimate and inspection to ensure safety. At this time, you and your family need to go to a secure place to stay until the work is complete.

However, if you happen to see smoke coming from an outlet or a light switch, you’ll need to evacuate the house and call the fire department just now.

When the Fuse in Your House Burns Out All at Once

This scenario also requires you to act quickly and unplug all the electrical appliances in the home. Next, you need to turn off the power from the circuit breaker to mitigate any risk. Then, you find your fuse box and the broken fuse within. To identify the affected fuse, you want to look for melted metal or foggy, translucent glass. Finally, you replace the fuse with a new one that has the same amperage rating. If you’re unsure about this information, take the broken part to the hardware store, and a service rep can assist you. Once you’ve replaced the broken fuse, you can turn the electricity back on.

Likewise, you can call a reliable and knowledgeable electrical contractor, for professional work that specializes in the emergency repair surge protection, and regular maintenance, you count on Salter’s licensed electrician who provides a quick response and free estimates.