When people first started to use electricity, electrical accidents were common, as we had not yet developed the robust safety codes that we have in place now. Over the years, electricians developed ways to make wiring safer, and today we use a number of measures to prevent electrical accidents. However, even with our modern safety precautions, electrical wiring can still become damaged.
In this article, our team at Lake Electric Co. Inc. will go over a few indicators that your wiring may be damaged. If you notice any of these signs in your building, donโt hesitate to give us a call to get our experts on the case:
- Discolored Outlets and Switch Plates โ One sign of faulty electrical wiring is discoloration on your outlet covers and switch plates. This is usually caused by electrical arcing occurring behind the plate, and the heat from the electricity causes the plastic to burn and become discolored.
- Burning Smell โ Another sign that something is wrong with your electrical wiring is the smell of burning plastic. This happens when the wires get so hot that they burn their protective casings or burn the outlet covers, as we described above. When this happens, it significantly increases the likelihood of the wires setting fire to something else in your building, so we encourage you to get your system inspected as soon as possible.
- Frequently Tripped Circuit Breakers – A third sign that something might be wrong with your electrical wiring is frequent circuit breaker trips. If your circuit breaker is tripping multiple times a month, something is wrong, and you should get your system checked out.