5 of the Most Common Electrical Concerns Found & How to Address Them

 

Hi there! I’m Sarah Maiga, your go to real estate expert & Broker of Maiga Homes Luxury Real Estate.

A home's electrical system, arguably its most complex component, is a veritable labyrinth. Picture this: it incorporates at least two thousand feet of wiring, numerous switches and outlets, a main breaker box, and an external link to your utility provider. Let's turn the lights on the 5 most common electrical hitches within this system and learn how to navigate them:

 

Ungrounded outlets, typically identified by their two-pronged appearance, are relics from homes built pre-1960s. Here's a fun fact: some outlets have a deceptive three-prong cover but lack the crucial grounding wire. Inspectors often need to deploy special devices to unveil these doppelgängers. Grounding is critical to curb fire hazards; any upgrade to a grounded system should be left to a licensed electrician.

Double tapped circuit breakers – where two wires connect to a single circuit breaker – are akin to forcing a square peg into a round hole. Most circuit breakers weren't designed for this, which can result in loose connections, arcing, and even fires from electrical overloads. Thankfully, correcting this issue is a relatively simple task for an electrician: they can either add an extra circuit breaker or reroute the wires before the breaker panel.

Introduced in the 1970s, GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) outlets were a game-changer in home safety. These smart devices, commonly found in moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms, can 'trip' and disconnect the power supply to prevent electrical shocks. However, like a sensitive smoke detector, these outlets can sometimes 'trip' prematurely due to lower-quality materials or age-related wear. An electrician can readily replace an outdated or faulty GFCI, ensuring your safety for years to come.

Outlet covers, the humble sentinels of your electrical outlets, protect against dust, curious little fingers, and other interferences. Over time, these covers can wear out or break. Replacing them is an easy and inexpensive DIY job that greatly contributes to the overall safety of your home.

Although a handy solution for occasional power needs, extension cords should not become a permanent feature of your electrical landscape. Their constant use usually indicates a shortage of outlets and can create tripping hazards. A common example is the makeshift connection for garage door openers. For such scenarios, a licensed electrician should be engaged to install an appropriate outlet.

As you've discovered, a home's electrical system is a marvel of complexity, continually requiring upgrades and maintenance to remain efficient and safe. While homeowners can undertake some minor fixes, it's always prudent to leave significant electrical updates to licensed professionals. After all, you wouldn't want to find yourself in a 'shocking' situation!

I hope I have given you a lot to think about and that you’ve learned a lot from today’s blog. If you want to learn more about home inspection pitfalls and frequently asked questions, there are 13 other videos in this series that you can check out on my channel!

As always, if you think you may want to make a move in the next year, give me a call and set-up a consultation today as I create custom moving plans for all of my clients up to a year in advance.

And, don’t worry, if I am not able to personally assist you, I am well connected and can refer you to a similarly qualified agent anywhere in the world. In fact, if you haven’t yet had a chance, please check out another one of my videos on “ Why You Should Get a Real Estate Agent Referral for an Agent When Relocating” that will teach you all about how realtor-to-realtor referrals work & what to expect when you ask me for one!

You can also check out my other series on: Relocation, Selling a Home, Buying a Home, New Construction, Downsizing, Buying & Selling Simultaneously & more!

 

Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next time.