We all use electricity every day in our homes, but what some of us don’t realize is that faulty power can be very dangerous. The EFI cites over 50,000 annual home fires caused with north of a billion dollars in damages for which faulty wiring or power malfunctions are to blame.

How can you, as a homeowner get ahead of this without calling an electrician every 24h to check your home? Well in this article we’re going to cover a couple of key issues to keep your eye out for and if any of these show up, give you local electrician a call or contact them through their website.

• Regularly blown fuses. If you’ve noticed that your circuit breaker often trips, or your fuses continue to blow, then the problem is easy to solve but you’ll want to get it fixed ASAP because it’s a fire hazard.
• Sparks. Any sparks coming out of any plugs or outlets need to be fixed immediately and not left for long.
• Lights flickering. This can mean there are internal issues in your electric system and will need a professional to handle.
• An excess of extension chords. Bunching up too many extension chords coming out of the same outlet can be a recipe for disaster. Get an electrician to come set up a few more outlets rather than use dozens of extension chords out of the few you have.
• Hot outlets. This is just a step away from a fire! Don’t let your outlets or switch plates get hot, and if you notice them heating up then call an electrician right away!
• A light switch that doesn’t do anything. This is usually a sign that the previous owner or tenant was dabbling in DIY electric work, and you’ll want a licensed contractor to come in and correct anything that might be faulty.

If you notice any of these things in your home, then it’s definitely time for you to call an electrician!