In the world of Google, Pinterest and YouTube, many people have become DIY-er enthusiasts. It has become so simple to look up videos to learn how to do new things. Many people have saved hundreds of dollars by being able to teach themselves new tricks and trades by watching someone else do it or looking up step by step instructions online. This is a great thing for something simple like how to garden or how to fix a clogged sink. Some things however, should be saved for the professionals. If you try to DIY electrical problems in your home, you could end up in a very dangerous situation without the proper training, or you could make an even more costly mistake by trying to save a few dollars. Here are some things to look out for in your home that will tell you that it is time to call Idaho Falls Electrician
1- Your home is older than 20 years
If your home is 20 years or older, and the electrical system has not been upgraded yet, it is time to call an Electrician. The standards and codes today are different than they were 20 years ago and your house’s electrical system will need to be upgraded. This is a large job and should not be done without a professional that knows how to install up to code.
2- You need more outlets or they are not 3-pronged outlets
If your outlets are old- they will not have the third hole in the outlet, or the grounding prong. This will make it difficult to plug in appliances that take up more energy because you will not have a place to plug in! Many things use the 3 prong plugs such as most extension cords. This upgrade should not be too difficult of a task as this is a common task for electricians. It will be so much nicer when you have more outlets and no longer have to search for an open outlet.
3- Flickering Lights
If your lights have been flickering, that means it is time for an electrician to look at your wiring. Chances are you have a tripped wire somewhere behind the walls and will need someone to fix it. This is a simple fix for electricians and should also be relatively low cost.
4- Warm Outlets
Have you ever been to a friend’s house and noticed their outlet socket looks black or burnt? You definitely do not want to wait for that to happen. Chances are their sockets had been hot to the touch for a while and eventually they burnt out. This can be a dangerous situation and a potential fire hazard. If you notice your outlets are warm to the touch when you go to unplug something, that is the que for you to call an Idaho Falls electrician to avoid a potential house fire.
5- Circuit Breaker Tripping
If you have ever tried to turn on too many appliances at the same time, and then suddenly they all stop at the same time, chances are they are all plugged into the same circuit that just could not handle all those appliances at once. If your circuit breaker seems to trip often, you most likely have a wire that needs to be repaired somewhere or a breaker that needs upgrading.