We have many electrical demands in our homes these days. This includes running numerous electronic devices and ensuring that our appliances function. There are also lighting fixtures to power and electric vehicles to charge. Many homes in St. Louis, MO have overloaded circuits that are leading to safety risks, like fires and electrocution. There is also a risk of less severe problems, like damage to your devices. While you should call the team of knowledgeable professionals at Potts Electric to help you with your overloaded circuits, it’s ideal to know what to look for. This can help you catch issues early so they can be dealt with appropriately.
What Is an Overloaded Circuit?
When you have too many devices plugged into a circuit in your home, this results in drawing more current than that circuit is capable of handling. Some people don’t realize this is happening if they are slowly adding devices over a long period of time. In other scenarios, you may be plugging in too many items at once. A good example of this is around the holidays when you bring out a bunch of decorations and attempt to plug everything in.
Indications of an Overloaded Circuit
Some signs of an overloaded circuit are obvious. Others are subtle and take some investigative work to spot.
Frequently Tripping Circuit Breakers
It’s normal for a circuit breaker to trip now and again. However, dealing with frequent tripping can result from an overloaded circuit. You can reset the breaker and unplug a few items to see if that fixes the problem.
Lights That Flicker or Dim
If your lights are flickering even after you change your lightbulb, you may have an overloaded circuit. As other electronics are powering on and drawing power, this is causing the flickering fixture to dim because of a slight change in amperage. The same applies if your lights are dimming momentarily.
Outlets and Wall Plates Warm to Touch
The wall plates and outlets in your home should be cool when you touch them. If you notice that they feel warm to the touch, you may have an overloaded circuit that is causing overheating. The only exception to this is dimmable switches. Their switches tend to feel a little warmer than the traditional version. However, they should never feel hot.
Buzzing Noises
Your switches and outlets should be completely silent. Buzzing or crackling can indicate an overloaded circuit or another electrical issue.
Smell of Something Burning
If you smell something burning or there is visible smoke coming from one of your outlets, turn the power off to that circuit and immediately call for help.
Getting Shocked
You should never feel a shock when you touch an outlet or switch. If you do, this is caused by arcing, excessive current flow, or short circuits.
Professional Inspection and Assistance
While many of these issues can occur from an overloaded circuit, you may have other issues going on with your electrical system. Damage to wiring, faulty outlets, and electrical panel malfunctions may be to blame. It’s always a good idea to have our team inspect your electrical system and determine what’s going on. We can let you know what the plan is for repair.
If an overloaded circuit is to blame, we will use a multimeter to measure the amperage of the circuit. If the amperage is higher than what your circuit is rated at, this indicates an electrical issue.
Prevention of Overloaded Circuits
Approximately 47,000 fires occur annually because of overloaded circuits. There are also injuries that can occur because of electrocution or shock. If you notice issues with your electrical system, call our team for assistance. There are also things you can do to prevent overloaded circuits from occurring in the first place.
Don’t plug too many devices into one outlet. This includes the use of a power strip. Try to properly distribute your devices and appliances across different circuits to balance things out. If you do need to use a power strip, don’t fill them up completely and only use a couple of them in your household.
Certain appliances use more wattage than others. Space this equipment out throughout your home and onto different circuits. You can also practice unplugging devices when they’re not being used.
If you have high electrical needs that don’t appear to be diminishing soon, consider having our team install more outlets or circuits.
Routine inspections of your electrical system can spot early signs of circuit overloading as well as other electrical problems. We recommend that you schedule an appointment with us once per year. You should also watch for signs of problems, such as frayed cords, sparks, smoke, the smell of something burning, or visibly loose connections.
Signs You Need to Expand Your Breaker Panel
If minor changes to your electrical system aren’t doing enough to prevent overloaded circuits in your home, it may be time for a breaker panel expansion. Age is a key indicator that you need professional assistance. If you have a panel that’s over 20 years old, you may have outdated wiring or circuits that can’t handle modern-day electrical demands.
If your home is older, it’s probably not equipped to handle the draw of an electric vehicle charger. If you need a charging station installed, we can also inspect your breaker panel to determine if it’s adequate for this process. We will also take into consideration the other electrical demands that are in your household.
If you’re using a lot of power strips in your household, there may be safer options available that can help meet your electrical needs. Your panel may be inadequate and may need expansion. Sounds coming from your breaker panel are also something to be concerned about. This is in addition to any sounds that may be coming from outlets and switches.
A sudden spike in your energy consumption without any known cause can signal a breaker panel problem or an overloaded circuit. You should keep a close eye on your utility bills each month. Compare the bills to the same time last year to see if any significant changes have occurred. Inefficient circuits can cause these sudden surges as well as other electrical issues.
If your breaker panel doesn’t have an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certification, you should consider upgrading. This can provide you with better efficiency as well as improved safety. Electrical devices certified by UL indicate current safety standards and building codes were followed during the manufacturing process.
Other indicating factors warrant professional assistance. This includes signs of rust or corrosion on your breaker panel. Rust can disrupt the flow of electricity, which could impact your circuits.
Our Experts
Potts Electric is available if you need assistance with services for your home electrical system. Our team can provide inspection services, emergency repairs, and new wiring if necessary. Contact Potts Electric in St. Louis today to schedule an appointment with our experienced team.
