Drama-free Electrical Safety

Cue the spooky movie music. A young woman walks into a darkened room. She stops. Her hand reaches for the light switch at the wall. The lights flicker. She gasps, the camera pans to her startled face. The audience is on the edge of their seats, terrified. Will she scream? Will she call for help? 

This is 2020, and women don’t cower in corners anymore. Our heroine whips out her cellphone, dials a number, and says, “Hello, Zimmerman Electric? My lights are flickering. Can you send someone out right away? Thank you!”

Dramatics aside, electrical problems can be scary. Not because of things that go bump in the night, but because electrical anomalies are often portents of fire danger. Aside from flickering lights, we’ve compiled a list of electrical issues that always cause concern:

What’s that noise?

That scary humming, crackling or buzzing (sometimes you can actually feel it!) coming from your outlet or light switch is probably a loose wire. It might even be a bad switch. But, it needs to be checked out right away regardless of the cause.

Do you smell something?

If you smell a burning odor coming from a switch or wall plate, it’s because something is burning! Turn off the power at the circuit breaker box and call immediately. The same is also true if the plate is discolored or blackened.

Why is this hot?

If you ever go to plug an appliance or lamp in an outlet or turn on a light and the switch plate is warm to the touch, it means something has gone seriously awry behind the plate. This is another cause to call an electrician immediately.

Other sensible advice 

Some extension cords are finely crafted electrical devices, and some extension cords are cheap-grade junk. But, regardless of where an extension cord falls in this span of quality, it should never be used in place of an outlet or for a heat-creating device. (Think toasters, hairdryers, space heaters.) They should also never be used for large appliances, such as dishwashers and refrigerators--not even for the deep freeze tucked away in the garage.  We know it can be tempting, but take a pass and call an electrician if you need an outlet located in a better spot.

Insipid Outlets

If your outlet won’t firmly grip an electrical plug, it needs to be cut from the cast. An outlet that won’t hold a plug has loose internal components, often hazardous and fire-prone. 

The brightest bulb in the box might not be smart

Light fixtures and lamps always have a recommended maximum voltage for safety’s sake. If you keep light bulbs in your pantry or linen closet, don’t just grab the nearest one the next time a bulb burns out; check the fixture for the recommended maximum and stay under that number Your home will be safer.

Let’s face it; you don’t need any more drama in your life, especially from your electrical system. We can keep your wiring and electrical outlets and switches running smoothly, leaving you free to pursue better forms of entertainment.

When you need a licensed electrician for commercial or residential electrical needs, call Zimmerman Electric at 310-378-1323.