Older homes in Modesto may have wiring showing signs of corrosion and breaking. Old or faulty wiring can be a significant safety hazard, so it’s always a good idea to repair wiring right away. There are several signs to watch for to determine if the wiring needs to be replaced.

Flickering Lights

Are your lights starting to flicker frequently? The first thing to do is to see if your lightbulbs have been installed correctly. Correctly installed lightbulbs could indicate that your wiring cannot effectively and efficiently transmit electricity if the bulbs are not OK. Wiring problems would lead to an irregular connection causing a disturbance in the lighting’s consistency.

Discolored Outlets

When you notice a discolored outlet, please take it as a warning. With loose connections or worn wiring, some electricity may arc to metals and produce sparks. The discoloration, or scorch marks, is caused by sparks. A single spark could start a major fire.

Burning Smell Coming From Outlets

Rather than show discoloration, some outlets may give off a specific smell if the wiring needs to be addressed. For example, some people who have old wiring have reported noticing a burnt plastic smell. The odor is caused by burning a wire’s plastic casing, which could occur inside your walls. It’s scary to think about, but the heat could cause a fire to begin inside the walls.

Frequent Issues With the Circuit Breaker

It’s normal to flip your circuit breaker switches back on occasionally. Flipped breakers sometimes happen when people in Modesto turn on their air conditioners in the summer heat, for example. However, if you visit your breaker box frequently, there could be a problem like worn-down breakers. Worn or broken breakers create a barrier that electricity has difficulty passing through. The blockage causes waves of power and forces the breaker to trip to prevent damage to the home’s wiring. At The Electric Company, we can fix this issue for you so that your whole breaker system doesn’t end up failing.

Old Age

A good rule of thumb is that if your wiring is around 40 years old, it needs an inspection. Wires begin to break down and start to cause hazards. If you have a home with aluminum wiring, you will need to replace it due to the increased safety concerns with using aluminum over copper wiring. Aluminum was frequently used in wiring during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

You can’t always see what’s going on with your wiring, but if you notice any of the signs described above, it’s wise to get your system checked out. We can help anyone in the Modesto area with that. Call to schedule an appointment.