With the busy pace of modern life, it’s all too easy to put off those small, mundane repair jobs around the house – weatherproofing, or fixing damaged pipes, clogged gutters, leaks and the like.
But when it comes your electrics, it’s important to realise that some of these minor issues could quickly become dangerous in a disaster or emergency.
There are times when your minor household issues need major action. Here we’ll take a look at some examples of electrical repairs we service, both small-scale and potentially dangerous, that you should look out for in your home.
Minor electrical repairs: Things to look out for
Faulty lights and appliances
First things first, let’s answer the obvious question: what are minor electrical repairs? While there’s no hard and fast rule, one way we think of it is whether the problem presents any clear danger to anyone in or around your home.
Faulty appliances and lights tend to be clear examples of electrical issues which, though annoying, don’t present a major hazard. Some examples include having a flickering light or a power point that’s not working. Then there are more disruptive cases such as appliance tripping. This is when your home has a blackout caused by a faulty appliance, switch, circuit breaker or over loaded switch.
Even these smaller issues could present a potential danger in an emergency. Flickering lights, for instance, could pose the risk of a house fire in the case of a severe thunderstorm or even a blackout. This is because they could indicate that there is a short in your home’s wiring, or other issues.
A system interruption caused by using too many appliances at once is generally not a major concern, but if it happens frequently it could indicate a serious fault on a circuit, which would require checking by a licensed electrician.
Wear and tear
One of the more common electrical repair causes is the ordinary wear and tear of household appliances. It’s a good idea to ensure your major appliances, electrical equipment and associated leads or cords are in safe working order.
The age of your home and its wiring can also be a factor in terms of causing minor electrical issues. In other instances, undergoing major changes or renovations to your home could lead to a need for later electrical repairs. An accident may have occurred during renovation, for example, or there may be a case in which some wiring has been updated but not all.
Prepare for the worst
Even minor, annoying issues could become a safety hazard in an emergency situation, so it’s important to keep on top of electrical issues in your home. Prevention is key, and taking steps such as having a safety switch installed in your home and maintaining your electrical outlets can help mitigate potential dangers.
Damage caused by flooding and storms, for instance, can not only pose a physical danger but also hefty expenses when they need repairing further down the track. You can help prevent storm damage faults by having an electrician install a surge protector in the main switch board. Check out some of our other tips on avoiding the need for an emergency electrician.
Be aware: electrical emergencies
It’s also a good idea to be aware of the more urgent electrical emergencies – you might want to even have a rough contingency plan in place just in case. Either way, you should call us immediately if any of these presents a problem in your home:
- A blown fuse
- Safety switch tripping
- An isolated power outage
- An electrical burning smell
- Your electric hot water system is out
- And many more urgent electrical issues
If you’d like to know more about how we can help you with minor repairs, or you’re interested in learning more about the warning signs for more pressing electrical issues in your home, contact our team of experienced electricians today. On call 24 hours a day, here at Electric Express we offer a 100% guarantee on any repair we’ve taken care of in your home and are happy to follow up to make sure it’s all in order.