To give an estimation, there are hundreds of thousands of residential fires and accidents I the United States alone per year and this leaves the victimized households with costly repairs and expensive hospital bills – some even their lives.  

There are many causes of electrical-related accidents including damaged electrical wiring, outdated, or poly installed and maintained wiring. And these are something that you should not be passive about. It is important that you are capable of reading damaged electrical signs to prevent further damage and accidents. 

Warning: the tips that we will be going to share are intended for the purpose of inspection only. If you notice there are damages, it is highly recommended that you contact an electrical service provider as they have the appropriate electrical tool kit and skills in handling these problems. 

1. Check for circuit breaker trips 

It is a normal phenomenon that your circuit breaker sometimes trips, as it is designed to shift off where it notices that it is overloaded. in a normal situation, you can switch it on the back when it shuts off and trips. However, if you notice that your circuit breaker oftentimes trip, there is a higher chance that it is experiencing problems and that it needs to be quickly fixed.  

2. Check for scorching smoke and/or discoloration 

Whenever you see some discoloration (blacken) or scorch marks on any of the outlets at home, it is a sign of electrical damage and it needs to be investigated and fixed quickly as you can. Call immediately an electrician to solve the problems.  

3.Vibrating or warm outlets 

Touch the wall and if you feel some persisting vibration and warm feeling, call your electrician immediately as either of two is potential damage to your wiring. If left unchecked and unresolved, this might cause some wiring explosion and fire.  

4.Odors or burning smell 

This is one of the most obvious signs of electrical wiring damage. To check, sniff out the source of the issue whenever you feel that there is an electrical problem in your house. You would notice a smoky, burning, and odd odor at the source of the outlets or anywhere that has the most potential to be the origin of the issue. When you smell a burning smell, this means that the fire has already started and that it is now crucial that you immediately ask for professional help.  

5. Listen and look for buzzing, flickering or dimming lights 

When your circuit does not trip, do not be passive still, as it does not mean that everything is alright in your house. Buzzing, flickering, and dimming lights are all symptoms of electrical wiring that has some issues or problems, and this can lead to serious problems. 

6. Check for chewed and frayed wiring 

A chewed or frayed electrical wiring can be caused by your pets, rodents, or even an amateur handyman that you hired in the past weeks. This can cause serious accidents because the wiring has faulty protection and this can potentially explode. Even if other signs are absent, it is still important that you constantly check your wiring for a potential problem. 

Final thoughts 

The tips we mentioned above are intended for investigation purposes only and that any repairs should be done by the electrician or a professional service provider.