10 Older Home Electrical Wiring Problems – Part 2

As mentioned in Part 1, older homes have a greater probability of hazardous electrical problems, and a thorough property inspection should be performed by a licensed electrician. Part 2 will discuss five more older home electrical wiring problems.

6) Outlets Insufficient

Older homes typically not have enough outlets due to modern electrical uses. Homeowners have to rely on power strips and extension cords to supply electricity to all appliances and electronic devices. Unfortunately, this can result in overloading circuits and causing an electrical fire. Talk to an electrician about additional outlets.

7) Overlamping

This is caused by using a light bulb that has a higher wattage than what the fixture is designed to safely handle. Intense heat from the light bulb will burn and melt the socket and wire insulation, causing arcing. This is where sparks jump from wire to wire potentially starting a fire.

8) Panel Overwired

An overwired panel holds too many circuits than what its rating can handle. It is a code violation, so it will become an issue when your house is for sale and an inspector discovers this condition. Fortunately, an electrician can easily add a subpanel with extra slots.

9) Ungrounded Outlets

Some older home’s outlets are only 2-pronged, which means they’re ungrounded and there isn’t a safe method for conducting stray current. Homeowners often improvise by using a cheater plug so they can plug in electrical devices that have three prongs. This will be a fire hazard if the grounding tab is not connected to an electrical ground. An electrician will recommend replacing these outdated outlets with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) breaker outlet.

10) Worn Out Receptacle Contacts

Worn out contacts of receptacles will let an electric plug come loose and fall out. This is dangerous because a loose contact might arc and start a fire. A professional will be able to repair this easily.

Electrical Services You Can Trust

Founded in 1991 and serving Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., where we are licensed and insured, Meyer Electrical Services provides home and commercial electrical services you can trust, including:

• Standby Generator Installation
• Panel Upgrades (Heavy-Ups)
• Electrical Vehicle Charging Stations
• Structured Cabling
• Circuit Breaker Replacement

Based in Bethesda, our team proudly serves all of Montgomery County. Receive a free consultation for custom electrical work today by calling (301) 941-1400.