What Does An Electrical Fire Smell Like? (How To Prevent Electrical ...

One of the most common causes of electrical fires is additional heating devices, such as space heaters or portable radiators.

They can be plugged in for a quick output of heat, but they are also often left plugged in.

As space heaters work with added heat, they pose an increased fire risk. That’s why there are some precautions you need to take to ensure that you use the device correctly.

You need to make sure that you do not ever cover the heater with anything. Space heaters can get quite hot and this could cause the fabric or cover to catch fire.

You should also ensure that the space heater isn’t too close to furniture, curtains, beds, chairs and other items in your home.

With these heaters generating a significant amount of heat, they can quickly cause fires when they are anywhere near anything flammable.

Lighting Running Over Wattage

Lights that use light bulbs can also be a fire risk when they run over wattage.

Each light bulb has a recommended range of wattage. The same applies to lighting fixtures. It is important to stick to this wattage recommendation.

If you exceed the recommended wattage range, then either your table light or lighting fixture can catch fire, or the light bulb will explode.

Signs Of An Electrical Fire

Apart from the possible odor, there is a great range of other signs that could indicate an electrical fire is either starting or at risk of starting in your home.

As all homes and wiring are different, it is important to say here that you may not notice all of these signs.

However, if you spot one or more of these signs of an electrical fire, then it is worth investigating, and contacting an electrician.

Buzzing Sound

With the normal noise of the day, it may be difficult to hear but you may want to listen closely at night.

Take a flashlight and walk through the house listening for a consistent buzzing sound. You may notice that the volume of the sound is fainter in different parts of the house.

If you are not sure where the buzzing is coming from, then there is a possibility that it is an electrical fire behind any of your walls.

Lights Dimming Automatically

Dimming the lights can be very romantic but unless you have a dimmer switch installed in your home, the lights should not be dimming on their own.

If you notice that the bulb of one or more of your light fixtures is flickering, then this could be a sign that another appliance is drawing too much power.

This causes the electric circuit to drop the power in your light. It’s important that you find out which appliance is causing the fault, and repair it before plugging it in again.

Breakers Tripping More Often

Breakers, also known as fuse switches, trip when the circuit is overloaded. The breaker will then trip and cut out all power.

When you notice that your breaker trips more often, then this may be due to a power surge, a faulty appliance or a damaged part in the fuse box.

Although breakers do trip now and then, and this may not be a sign of a serious problem, it’s always worth finding out why the circuit suddenly got overloaded.

Electrical Sparking

Electrical sparking in your fuse box, around outlets or the breaker panels is a clear sign that something is wrong with your electrical wiring.

You will need to contact an electrician immediately, as the sparks could cause an electrical fire almost instantly.

Although this could be caused by a malfunctioning appliance or another electrical fault, it’s best to ask an electrician to check.

Discolored Outlets And Switches

Typically, switches and power outlets are plain white. When there is a fault with your wiring or electric appliances and there is a fire smoldering, then you will notice that the outlets will turn a brownish or black color.

This means that there may already be a fire burning and it needs immediate attention.

Hot Outlets And Switch Plates

It’s not always large appliances that cause issues, but also smaller items, such as toasters or hair dryers, that may be a fire risk.

Their outlets should be cool to the touch, and if you notice that these are too hot, then this may be a sign of a faulty wire, which may start a fire.

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