Is there a room in the house where the lights dim without explanation? You put your hand to an outlet and it is warm? Then there are the breakers you have to reset every week, making you question if there is a more fundamental problem.
We are Current Craft Electric, a small crew from Adrian with a focus on helping Lenawee County homeowners put an end to wiring issues before they become serious. We are not some office that sends out a dispatcher; we are right here in the community. For any concerns over the electrical in your home, (517) 888-7193 is our number.
For the most part faulty wiring does not make its presence known all at once. It is a quiet affair behind your walls, offering up hints here and there. The homeowner who is attuned to those hints will be the one to sidestep major repairs later on. Here is what to be on the lookout for.
What to Look for Behind Your Walls
When wiring is on the way out your home will tell you in subtle ways. Some of the more telling warning signs are:
- Lights that dim or flicker, particularly with an appliance running
- An outlet or switch plate with discoloration or a warm feel
- A fishy or burning odor in the vicinity of your panel or outlets
- No good reason for a breaker to keep tripping
- A spark at the outlet upon plugging in
- Sounds of buzzing or crackling from a fixture or switch
- Two-prong outlets or any wiring left un-updated
Taken in isolation these might not seem like much but collectively they are indicative of a wiring matter that needs attention.
The Matter of Flickering Lights
One bulb will do that and it is no great concern. Yet if the whole room is flickering or goes dim with the refrigerator, you can bet the issue is deeper. Be it an overloaded circuit, loose connections or old wiring, the cause is something you cannot guess at since it is behind the wall.
Warm Outlets and Plates
They ought to be cool. Should an outlet be warm or show brown and black marks on the plate, put it out of service. The heat is resistance in the wiring and resistance brings on overheating. In time it will not improve, and this is a leading cause of the kind of electrical fire we see in homes.
Breakers That Will Not Stay Put
It is a breaker’s function to trip and protect the house. One that is doing so on a regular basis is putting you on notice. There is a short from a wiring fault or a circuit is beyond its capacity. All the resetting in the world will not fix it, only put off the inevitable.
Sounds and Smells
You should not have to put up with a buzzing outlet or a crackling switch, nor a burning smell by your panel. These are as plain a signal as you will get of failed or failing wiring. If you detect a burning scent and are at a loss as to where it is coming from, an electrician should be called.
Outdated Wiring in Older Homes
Lenawee County has its share of older houses with wiring not suited to what is asked of it today. Add in the EV chargers and large screen tvs and kitchen appliances and modern systems have to work harder than those of yesteryear. If yours has not been looked at, think about having it done.
A Straight Answer
Wiring is hard to assess because it is mostly out of sight and requires the proper tools and know how to diagnose. With us you are talking to the production manager or the electrician who will be doing the job, not a call center or a succession of subcontractors. We will give you a straight answer about your home.
Our team has well in excess of 20 years of experience between them to see an outlet repair or a complete panel replacement through. We put in free estimates and have financing options for those who qualify to make a sizeable upgrade more palatable.
Do not put it off if you have seen any of the above. Give us a ring at (517) 888-7193. From Monday to Friday, 8 to 5, we are at your service in Adrian, Tecumseh, Saline and throughout the county for both home and business.
