Have you ever considered where electricity comes from or how dangerous it is? You use it every day to power your lights, the heating, charge your phones, and many other applications. But, the simple fact is that electricity is dangerous, it can, and does, kill.
Of course, it’s unlikely that you can survive without it. But, you can help to ensure your safety by having an annual inspection from a reputable electrician Sydney. You should also be aware of how to check your wiring at home, this will help you to highlight issues and have them resolved.
It should be noted that the best way to check your wiring is to call a qualified electrician. They have the training and the tools to check your circuits for you. They can advise regarding issues and complete the repairs, reducing the amount of stress you’re under.
If you need to check the wiring yourself, here’s what you should do.
Check Your Circuit Breakers
All your circuit breakers should be capable of being turned on and staying on. If they trip there is an issue with the wiring or the breaker. To check them you should visually inspect your circuit box several times a year. You’re looking for any signs of damage, loose wires, or discoloration. This suggests there is an issue.
Of course, if you intend to remove the cover you need to make sure the power is off.
You can also check individual breakers with a voltage reader to ensure they are working correctly.
Inspect Sockets
Your sockets should be easy to use, any reluctance for a plug to go in suggests an issue with the connections behind the socket. It should also be clean; discoloration is a sign of damaged wiring or an overheated circuit.
This can be due to overloading. You’ll want to check there are not too many things plugged into one circuit. If there are reallocating some items to different circuits should solve the issue.
However, any damage to a socket needs further investigation.
You’ll want to turn the power off and remove the socket cover. You should be able to verify that every wire is connected properly. If they are capable of touching then short circuits can occur, causing an array of issues.
If this part seems okay you can pull the wiring as far out of the wall as possible and inspect it for damage. It’s likely there will be some. If not, it will be within the hidden wiring and you’ll need professional help to locate it.
Check Usage
Many people don’t consider checking their electrical usage but it is possible that you’re leaking electricity without knowing it. This will cause your electricity bill to rise and increase the risk of a short circuit or fire.
Turn off all appliances and note your electric meter reading. Then, wait an hour and check it again. If it has changed then you have a leakage that needs further investigation.