A shocking 1,342,000 fires occurred in the United States in 2016. Of this number, an estimated 364,300 fires took place in residential buildings. Experts estimate that 7,000 of these home fires resulted in injuries.
What causes all these fires?
Cooking is the number one culprit behind these unfortunate incidents. What a lot of people do not know is that electrical malfunctions are a leading cause of these fires.
That is right. Faulty electrical components in your home can lead to injury-causing, even fatal fires.
Now, not all issues with your electrical system warrant a professional electrician. However, you need to know when to call an electrician and when you can handle some DIY work.
When exactly is it okay to DIY and when should you Google “electrician near me”? That is what we will cover in this post, so be sure to keep reading!
When It’s Okay to DIY Electrical-Related Work
The average 2017 monthly electricity bill of California residents was $101.49. Of course, that still depends on how much your own household’s usage is. However, you may have noticed a serious spike in your usual consumption.
There are plenty of reasons why your bill is going through the roof, one of which is your air conditioner. If you have not maintained or cleaned your AC for quite some time now, this is one DIY project you can take on. Changing/washing the filters and clearing the debris are easy jobs to address.
Bonus Tip: For even more savings, consider upgrading to LED lights. You can save as much as 75% on your lighting-related energy use when you swap out your old lights with LEDs. They are also last 25 times longer compared to traditional incandescent lights.
Before you do any of these DIY projects, be sure to turn your main electrical panel off. Live wires can still make the simple task of changing bulbs an electrical hazard.
When You Should Call an Electrician
Anything other than the projects mentioned above often needs a professional electrician. Whether it is an electrical panel upgrade or a new HVAC installation, you would want an electrician to do the job.
The same goes true if you are experiencing dimming or flickering lights. If your circuit breaker trips a lot, that is another sign you need an electrician. All these are symptoms of a malfunctioning electrical wiring network.
When You Need an Electrician ASAP
There are also some situations wherein you should call an electrician right away. One of these is when you smell something, such as burning rubber, or if you have indoor flooding. Consider these emergency situations, as they are some of the biggest electrical dangers.
Remember, the smallest flame can turn into a full-fledged fire in only 30 seconds. From there, the fire can spread throughout an entire building in a matter of minutes.
That said, if you are experiencing any problems with your electrical system, do not hesitate to contact us ASAP. We can help take care of any electrical issues you have before they become serious hazards.
Signal Alarms and Electric is an electrical contractor in Southern California providing full capacity electrical contracting services for new construction, renovations, tenant improvements, service upgrades, exterior, interior and landscape lighting, retrofits and service installations in the Southern California/Los Angeles County area.