The electrical system needs of homes erected 60-100 years ago are far more different than today. Most people look at old homes and only focus on fixing the leaking faucet, removing carpet stains, and mowing overgrown gas.  

The electrical system usually takes the back seat, as long as all the switches are in perfect working condition and every outlet charges computers, smartphones, and printers with ease. 

But the electrical system may require an upgrade, especially with the onslaught of modern equipment. This is why you should never ignore the following signs that your electrical system requires an upgrade: 

When the Light Switches Feel Somewhat Hot to the Touch 

Light switches are some of the most-used components in homes as they help turn the lights off or on. Many people use light switches without paying too much attention to them. 

However, if you suddenly notice that your light switches feel hot to the touch, especially when you turn off the light. Electrical overload is usually the #1 reason behind this heat, though other factors can also be responsible. 

This is how it works: when electricity travels through a light switch, it generates a little heat. However, many switches become faulty over time or may be poorly installed by an inexperienced electrician. 

Such light switches end up drawing a little more juice than they can ordinarily handle. This results in excess heat, which radiates through the light switch panels and feels hot when you touch them. 

Excess heat caused by electricity can also bring about extra wear and tear on several electrical components. As the wiring continues to deteriorate and nothing is done about it, a fire may suddenly erupt when you least expect it. 

You Trip Circuit Breakers Consistently 

Another common or usually obvious but ignored sign of big trouble with your electrical system involves tripping your circuit breakers. 

Circuit breakers are primarily designed to protect the electrical circuit in a home or commercial facility from overloads. As soon as a circuit breaker senses the excess flow of electricity through the cables, it trips the power before severe electrical damage occurs. 

You may experience a few circuit trips from time to time, indicating that the breaker is actively doing what it is designed for. But if you suddenly notice that the frequency of the breaker trips is far beyond what is usual, you may have an electrical panel or faulty wiring issues on your hands. 

Moreover, frequent circuit trips also indicate that your newer electronics or appliances draw a lot more volts than the currently installed electrical system can efficiently handle. 

This is reason enough to go for an electrical system upgrade as soon as possible in order to mitigate or eliminate frequent breaker trips. 

Electrical Outlets Are Broken, Charred, or Discolored 

Several factors can cause some minor and yellowing stains on the electrical outlets in your home. Most people wipe away such stains and move on, thinking nothing more of it. 

However, if you notice any outlet with soot or look charred, it simply means a small fire has ignited somewhere within the walls. Poor wiring, old or worn cables, etc., can cause sparks, which can result in flames when sustained for long. The flames give off the soot you see on the outlet and can also discolor it. 

Flickering and Dimming Lights 

When your lights flicker and dim consistently, this could be an indication of multiple potential problems with the electrical system. 

However, the first thing to do is pinpoint exactly what the issue is, starting with categorizing the abnormal activity: 

The light dims when the load on a circuit increases: For instance, if the lights in the cooking corner or kitchen suddenly dim as soon as you switch on your microwave or toaster, it simply indicates that the wiring in your kitchen is incapable of handling the demands of that circuit.  

The same deduction is made if the lights in the living room dim for an instant when you switch on the plasma TV. This is a serious problem that you should fix immediately as overheated wires or receptacles can cause other severe problems. 

The random flicker of light in your home: If the light in your home flicker randomly, you need to find out whether this problem occurs with just one light or several lights. 

Issues with only one light are minimal and can be fixed almost immediately. All you need to do is check the faulty wiring that leads to that particular light and fix it. 

However, if several lights flicker randomly, you may have a much more serious problem to deal with, starting with your electrical system. 

Do not delay if dimming and flickering lights become issues in your home. Ensure you get the electrical system checked out by a certified electrical contractor or electrician as soon as possible. 

High Utility Bills 

Electric bills should directly reflect lifestyle. If you only have and use a handful of electrical appliances once in a while or are hardly home to use the lights consistently due to work overseas or offshores. For instance, your monthly utilities should be incredibly low. 

But if you constantly charge appliances such as laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, tablets, etc., alongside running your elegant air conditioner, dryer, and dishwasher, don’t be too surprised if you rack high monthly utility bills. 

If you do none of these things or move to an old home where your electrical bills seem to hit the roof constantly, you may have some faulty wiring to deal with. 

Corroded elements, as well as faulty wiring, draw more electricity in order to power your home equipment. This significantly amps up your kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption and dents your wallet accordingly. 

To prevent your wallet from taking monthly hits on electricity, you hardly use, get a professional from Fraker Fire to check out your home’s electrical system. 

Short Life Expectancy of Your Lightbulbs 

The average lightbulb (incandescent) is designed to last about 1,000 to 2,000 hours before burning out. This calls for the replacement of your ceiling and lamp lightbulbs from time to time for even lighting. 

However, if your lightbulb’s life expectancy is drastically shortened, and you discover that you seem to change lightbulbs almost every week, faulty wiring may be the culprit. 

Faulty wiring causes too much juice to flow into lightbulbs. This causes the bulbs to deteriorate prematurely, thereby shortening their life expectancy. Incorrectly installed recessed light features can also cause heat to build up inside the lightbulbs. This can also kill off the bulbs unexpectedly. 

A certified electrician can check this out and fix the faulty wiring. This helps eliminate the need to constantly changing of lightbulbs. 

Conclusion 

As you can see, unresolved electrical issues can cause a lot more damage than initially envisaged. This may affect the overall safety of your home as well as every person who lives in it. 

Therefore, do not delay if you notice any of these signs which indicate your electrical system needs an upgrade. Get the pros from Fraker Fire on board by scheduling a check on your entire electrical system.