Moving Into An Older Home? 3 Electrical Problems To Watch Out For

If you are moving into an older home, you may need to make some repairs to get it ready. One thing you need to do is check for electrical problems. This is important because some problems can lead to an electrical fire. Keep reading for three of these problems.  

Lights Flickering

If you notice your lights dim when an electrical appliance is first turned on, such as your HVAC unit, this can be normal. If you notice your lights are flickering throughout the day, this is a problem that needs to be checked. The first thing to check is to ensure the light bulb is screwed in tight. If this is not the problem, there is a problem with your electrical system. 

There could be problems with the breaker that powers the flickering light. It could be loose or may need to be replaced with a new one. The wall switch may be old and not working properly. This is an easy repair since the wall switch can be replaced quickly. If lights are flickering in more than one room, it could be a problem with the electrical connections going into your home. 

Breakers Tripping

It can be common for a breaker to trip every once in a while. If this is happening to you regularly, this is a problem. A common issue that causes this is an overloaded circuit breaker. Each circuit breaker in the panel can only power a certain amount of electricity load. If the load is over the limit, the breaker will trip. If the breaker does not trip, the wiring will heat up and may lead to a fire. 

Contact an electrician to take care of this for you. They can determine what circuit breaker is having problems. They can check the load the circuit breaker can handle and compare it to how much electricity is used in your home. They may need to replace the breaker with one that can handle a larger load. 

Has Old Wiring

Electrical systems in a home last a very long time in most cases. Because your home is older, your electrical system may need to be replaced. Over time, the covering on electrical wires may degrade exposing the wires. This is dangerous because the wiring could then easily catch fire. There may have been rodents that chewed on wiring in the past. 

An electrician can check the electrical wiring for you. They may need to replace all of it or only certain sections. This can be expensive but is well worth it for your safety. This also may take much more time than normal repairs. 

An electrician will tell you of other electrical problems you need to watch out for. Contact a local electrical contractor to learn more.