Keep Your Home Safe

September 10, 2021

Warm or discolored wall plates can mean that a home has an overloaded electrical circuit – which could cause a fire. Some other warning signs of an overloaded circuit include:

  • Flickering, blinking or dimming lights
  • Frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses
  • Cracking, sizzling or buzzing from receptacles
  • Burning odor coming from receptacles or wall switches
  • Mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles or switches

Take the following steps to help prevent electrical overloads:

  • Never use extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliances.
  • All major appliances should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Only plug one heat producing appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time.
  • A heavy reliance on extension cords is an indication that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Have a qualified electrician inspect your home and add new outlets.
  • Be aware that power strips only add additional outlets; they do not change the amount of power being received from the outlet

The Electrical Safety Foundation International provides more information* on how to identify and prevent an overloaded electric system.

*By clicking the link in this article, you are entering a website maintained by an outside party, which is entirely responsible for the site’s content.