Electricity is a wonderful thing. It provides us with light, television, helps us gets the ice cubes in our drinks and so on. But electricity is no laughing matter, not something to play around with.

It is important to be mindful of your appliances, wiring, and look out for fire hazards around your house. Find out if your electrical system, and what’s connected to it is truly safe for you and your family.

Symptoms of a malfunctioning electric system

Electricity flows to your lights and appliances from the power company, through your panel, its breakers, out to your circuits and back. There are many connections along the path that can fail or be disrupted and go places you don’t want it to.

Here are five symptoms of a malfunctioning electric system:

• Something doesn’t work – this is the most common problem
• Something blinks or flickers, or goes on and off randomly
• Lights run too bright or too dim at times
• Something won’t turn off
• You experience a shock when touching something

If these things frequently happen, it’s probably time for a professional to come in and take a look before it gets worse.

Appliances which can cause surge problems and how

A power surge can occur for many different reasons. High power electrical devices can create a spike in the electrical current when they are switched on or when their motor kicks in.

Appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and even space heaters can cause a power surge strong enough to damage electrical systems.

The 3 most common appliances to cause electrical spikes and trip breakers are as follows:

• Fans – having multiple running at one time can cause a surge, and trip a breaker
• Irons – Drawing so much heat in so little time
• Hair Dryers – Again, so much heat at once draws a lot of power

Tripped circuit breakers and short circuits can also lead to strong power spikes. Talk to an electrician if you think you may have a wiring problem.

Possible fire hazards

A house fire is not to be underestimated, and it can steal everything you hold dear in a matter of minutes. There are, however, ways to prevent such fires from occurring. See below for 3 possible fire hazards in your home.

• Using a malfunctioning electrical appliance – these are big sources of fire and can be avoided. Sparks from faulty toasters, televisions, coffee makers, etc can do some serious damage in your home.
• Worn out electrical cords – frayed or exposed electrical wires cause many fires, especially if it is close to a carpet or rug.
• Overloaded power strips – having too many plugs in a power strip is a recipe for disaster. When overloaded, they can spark, and start a fire in no time.

How to protect yourself and family from these issues

• Be sure to check outlets often, to make sure they are in working order.
• Don’t skimp out on appliances, and buy new whenever possible.
• Don’t have more than 3 things plugged into a power cord at a time, and try to keep it away from rugs.

If something isn’t working right, call an electrician. It may cost you some money, but it’s better than not calling, and it costing you your life or the lives of those you love.