There has been a lot of research that has proven that household electricity is responsible for about a third of the total electricity consumption in most countries. That is because your house is your personal safety that is created for maximum comfort. When you are a homeowner one of the work things that you can experience is your sanctuary not being comfortable because all of your appliances aren’t working because there is an electrical fault. So, if you are experiencing some issues with your appliances, here are some most common electrical issues that can make your appliances break down.
Electrical Surges
Electrical surges usually occur because of poor wiring in your house, lighting strikes, or even damaged power lines. These are quite common and they will damage your appliances and shorten their lifespan drastically. Make sure that you are checking the devices that are connected to the home grid as well as disconnecting the power boards that are of poor quality. If the surge doesn’t happen again, you have solved the issue, if not make sure that you are calling your electrician to give it a look.
Overloading
Sometimes your appliance will have higher wattage than your outlet or fixture is designed to handle. Overloading things can do a lot of damage not only to the appliance but to the whole house. It can potentially create a spark and cause an electrical fire. That is why you need to ensure that you are always choosing the right wattage of appliances.
Power Sags and Dips
What a lot of people don’t know is what sages and dips are. They usually occur when there is a fault appliance that is connected. It can also happen if the grid was made out of low-quality materials. In most cases, it will draw more power than it needs to.
Light Switches Not Working
One of the easier things that you can point out is a light that is not working properly. It can be because the dimmers are not working properly or there is a fault in wiring, the outlet in the circuit. No matter what it is, it is a job for an electrician.
A Flickering Light
You might have experienced your frayed wiring when it is windy outside which causes a short when the cables move. It is not a code violation but has a higher level of risk as it can suddenly start a fire. Immediately call the electrician to get it replaced.
Tripping Circuit Breaker
When you have other high-power consuming items that you are using before you plug in something large such as a microwave or a hairdryer there is a good chance that you will trip the circuit breaker. But even though that is a good sign because that means that your home is very well preceded, there might be an underlying issue to it.
Not Enough Outlets
Another thing that not a lot of people realize is that most households will have a bunch of extension cords because the house doesn’t have enough outlets. But what they also don’t know is that having too many extension cords can cause overloads or the appliance simply won’t be able to get as much electricity as it needs.
Electric Shocks
When you don’t use the electrical system properly it can cause electrical shocks which is not a good thing to experience. It is a common thing to experience in old homes because of the old circuits. A shock can happen when you are turning the switch on and off, even if you purchase appliance spare parts for it to fix the issue. That is why you will need to call in an electrician to find the cause of this issue.
No RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker)
Another common electrical issue that will cause your appliances to break is something called the RCCB. That is the resident’s current circuit breaker and it is used to disconnect the load from the main supply. When you don’t have that your appliances will break down or even cause fires.
Aluminium Wiring
If you have an odor house and you are experiencing some issues with your appliances, there is a good chance that you have aluminum wiring which is super bad. In most places, aluminum is not an option anymore as it is not safe. That is because it will corrode really fast and it can cause fires. If you think that that might be the case, make sure that you contact your electrician.
Frequent Light Bulb Burnouts
If you are experiencing frequent light bulb burnouts, don’t blame the bulb. There are a lot of different reasons why a bulb keeps burning out and the most frequent ones are due to high voltage, improper air circulation as well as a bulb that is tightly fixated. Just like with any electrical issue, always contact your local electrician rather than trying to fix it yourself.
Blackouts and Brownouts
If you live in a place where there are a lot of storms, you are likely going to be experiencing blackouts because of them. Some can leave you without power for days. So, if you know that you live in a place where storms are common, make sure that you are investing in a generator that will keep you out of the dark if a blackout happens. But that is not the only reason why they are so important. When you are experiencing brownouts, your appliances will get minimized energy which can cause them to break down faster as they are not getting sufficient energy. It is raising the risk of it getting a short circuit. That is why it is important that you unplug your appliances when you see that a storm is approaching.
In most cases, electrical damages can be controlled if the product is certified. But if you are experiencing issues with your appliances, make sure that you are contacting customer support and resolving the issue, before anything drastic happens.
