Electrical Systems Can Age As Well

Your home’s electrical appliances and parts, including the main electrical panel, switches, and outlets, can become worn down with time and use. The electrical in your home ages and develops wear-and-tear components, much like your car.

The majority of residences in Colorado were constructed before to the 1990s, and their average age is roughly 50 years. Along with normal aging and equipment wear and tear, electrical usage in homes has significantly increased just in the previous 20 years. With every appliance and technological item we use on a daily basis, the electrical demand has increased significantly. You only need to look as far as the kitchen or living room to observe this.

Electrical system in your home that is aging or worn out:

electrical systems
  • switches and outlets
  • Two prong outlets are an indication that your home’s ground is not compliant.
  • Electrical hazards might arise from outlets that appear to move or tremble in the wall.
  • If you plug something into an outlet and it is loose or falls out, the outlet won’t retain it firmly.
  • Occasionally functioning switches or switches that just don’t seem right.
  • The presence of hot-to-the-touch switches or outlets may indicate an overloaded circuit or an outdated or worn-out item.
  • Switches or outlets that are buzzing, humming, or otherwise creating noises could indicate worn-out or broken parts.
  • Utilizing an extension cable or power strip on your outlets because there aren’t enough outlets accessible is unsafe because you can be overloading your outlets and circuitry. Code has changed to call for more outlets per room.
  • Lack of GFCI protection in your home’s kitchen, bathroom, and exterior spaces.
  • Lights that flicker could indicate a number of potential problems around the house.
  • Aluminum wiring may have been used in the construction of a house built in the 1960s or 1970s. Where aluminum switch or outlet wiring comes into touch with copper at connections to lighting and gadgets, corrosion will eventually occur. Corrosion-induced loose connections can result in electrical arcing and fires.
  • Breakers that trip frequently might be a sign of many different things, such as overloaded circuits or worn-out breakers.

The daily electrical consumption in a modern household is significantly higher than it may have been 30 or more years ago in the same dwelling. It would not be prudent to presume that your electrical system can accommodate the increased demand on the basis of how it has done in the past. Tripping breakers and loose outlets may be the first signs of an unsafe electrical system in your house, but the wire concealed behind your walls, which you may never see, actually makes up the majority of the electrical system.

A household’s electrical system should be examined for safety and any necessary improvements if it is not sufficiently prepared to manage the load from daily use. A professional electrician is qualified to examine your home’s electrical systems and confirm their safety. Call us at: (720) 619-3973