Signs of Electrical Fire Hazards

Using a lot of appliances and gadgets at home make us forget that we need a safe and constant power supply. Unless something goes wrong, we take for granted even basic maintenance of our electric lines and fixtures. If you are willing to invest in high-tech appliances and gadgets, then you should also contact a trusted electrician services company to guarantee the safety of your home.

• Undergrounded or Old Electrical Outlets. Have you noticed that a lot of modern gadgets have three-prong plugs? That is because a three-prong outlet is a grounded outlet that minimizes fire hazards. Although there are still a lot of appliances that use a two-prong outlet, it is not advised to use ungrounded outlets that are not protected from power surges. You should have your outlets upgraded by a licensed electrician if this is the case.

• Outdated or Faulty Wiring. Old apartments and buildings in Singapore can have outdated electrical service and wiring that cannot sustain the needs of modern equipment. An indication of this is constant power failure due to frequent circuit break trips. Your appliances are also giving off excessive heat whenever you use them, or you experience shocks or see sparks whenever you plug one in. Do not attempt to upgrade the electrical sources yourself; call a power voltage engineer in Singapore instead. While you may have been taught some basic electrician lessons in school, upgrading outlets and your main power source require proper knowledge and experience.

• Extension Cords. If you do not have enough outlets in your apartment, do not rely too much on the use of extension cords. This can cause overloading in the circuit. A safe and permanent solution would be to contact a cabling technician who can safely re-wire and install power point switches and outlets.

• Light Fixtures Misuse. Even the failure to understand the differences between the outlet capacity and the light bulb wattage can cause fires. If you notice that you have been replacing dimming bulbs more frequently, then you should call a licensed electrician to inspect the wiring. Maybe the problem is not the new bulb you just placed but faulty wiring. If you notice similar problems in other areas of the apartment complex, chances are, the building has not been inspected by a commercial electrical contractor for years. Talk to your landlord about an inspection and upgrade.

• Outlet Overloading. Do you know how many gadgets you can plug into your electrical outlets before it overloads? You should, because overloading can lead to office electrical problems but, more importantly, it is also a common cause of fires. Always check the current rating of the gadget before using it and have a licensed electrician in Singapore check your premise for lay office wires and malfunctioning electrical sockets. Never tamper with the electrical works yourself if you think you need more wiring and power outlets.

• Warm Outlets and Switches. If you notice that your electrical outlets or switches are warm to the touch, it could be a result of four different problems: one, plug or charger of the gadget itself isn’t working and needs to be replaced. Second, maybe there are a lot of appliance used at the same time. If this is the case, call a home electric handyman to upgrade your electric wiring. Third, maybe the wiring itself is damaged. Unplug all the appliances and call a 24 hour electrician, because this is considered an emergency. Fourth, maybe there is a lot of demand on the circuit or you are using the incorrect breaker or fuse size. Call your trusted electrician services company have it inspected.