You have a room where you keep changing the bulb every few weeks. You’ve used different bulbs but the problem still remains, perhaps there’s more to the problem than just changing bulbs. Your case may also be that of a light switch that ‘shocks’ once in a while. Electrical issues are very common in every household. The good news is there are some of them with solutions that don’t require advanced electrical knowledge (just like changing a light bulb).
Here are 5 common electrical issues often encountered at home:
- Dead light bulbs
- Surges
- Open or naked wires
- High electricity bills
- Electrical shocks
Let’s examine these problems and their solutions
You walk into your room, switch on the lights and the lights remain off. You try a few more times with no result. Bulb burnouts are very common with an easy fix. They may be caused by faulty bulbs, lamp holders, surges and other reasons.
Solution:
The first, easy fix is to change the bulb. But if the burnout repeats itself after a short time then you may need to change the lamp holder to see if this helps. You may opt to hire a professional electrician to handle this change if it’s beyond your skill set or you’re short on time to do a proper job. Hiring an electrician will also save you if the problem is beyond just changing the bulbs or the lampholder.
Surges are high, split-second voltage fluctuations. They damage plugged-in electrical appliances and could even cause electrical fires. Where surges are consistent, there is a need to investigate their root cause in home.
Solution:
Getting a surge protector is one way to handle surges. As the name implies, a surge protector protects electrical appliances from surges. According to howstuffworks, surge protectors work by redirecting extra electricity, wherever there is a surge or spike, into the grounding wire. Where an unusual, split-second voltage fluctuation occurs, the surge protector redirects the extra electricity into the ground wire in the surge protector.
Electricity wires are usually coated with materials such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). One major reason for this is to prevent current leakage. Now, there are times where you notice the wire coating on the extension socket has peeled off exposing the wires. Issues like this should be quickly resolved to avoid electrical accidents.
Solution:
Switch off the power and properly tape the exposed wire with an insulating tape. This measure may only be temporary as the wire may open again after some time. Where this happens, it is recommended that the wire be changed.
There are many reasons why you may be receiving high electricity bills. Old appliances often have poorer power ratings compared to recent contemporaries. Moreso, old appliances may consume more electricity due to reasons such as aging/malfunctioning parts. Another possible reason for high electricity bills may be poor energy consumption habits. Also, damaged wiring or circuits may also be a cause.
Solution:
Consider getting energy saving bulbs and switching to energy efficient appliances on your next purchase. Also, imbibe good energy consuming habits by switching appliances such as TVs and air-conditioners when not in use. You may also need to call your electricity supplier to perform a check on the provided electricity meter.On your own, you may also get an electrician to troubleshoot the electrical connection at home if there are any underlying issues.
Electrical shocks are always jolting experiences. Sometimes, it ends with a nervous laugh but it is never to be joked with as where they are not promptly tackled, are indicators of major electrical accidents waiting to happen.
Solution:
Where the electrical shock is as a result of open wires, taping with an insulating tape may help. However, if the source of the shock can not be traced then you have to contact a professional to assess the situation.
