Many of our London clients found us when they were looking for assistance with home electrics. Often, people know there is a fault because their appliances are behaving strangely, and they need a professional to safely diagnose the problem and propose a fix.
We now live in the information age, and we’re plugging in all kinds of appliances and gadgets overnight, drawing more power for longer. We’re also using more appliances all at the same time. Older properties are more prone to faults now that we’re running extension cables all over the house and potentially overloading the circuits.
In this article, we’ll run through the basics of electrical faults: what to look for and how to get them fixed.
Get help in an electrical emergency
Signs of an Electrical Fault
Electrical faults can appear gradually or suddenly. Fortunately, most minor faults are not dangerous, but they could be if left to get worse.
Regardless of the perceived severity of the fault, we must stress that you should never attempt DIY repairs: electricity can kill and cause fires.
Signs of an electrical fault include:
- Dim or flickering lights
- Brown or black scorch marks around sockets
- Sparks
- Hot plugs and adapters
- Loose sockets or switches
- Bulbs that blow often
- Popping or crackling sounds
- Stale burning smells
- Obvious damage and/or exposed wires
- Missing fuses in the fuse box
- A tingling or buzzing feeling in your hand when you touch wiring or plugs
Additionally, look out for botched repairs, such as sockets in odd places or wiring run over the surface of a wall. And when you plug in appliances, watch out for blue flashes and frayed wires.
If an appliance is damaged, or the dog has chewed the mains lead, don’t plug it in: it could cause more problems.
Found a Fault?
To verify that you’ve found a fault, call a professional. There are plenty of electricians who will help for an affordable price; MD Bespoke covers the London and Surrey area. We recommend using an electrician who is Part P registered and offers an emergency, 24-hour service.
Don’t play detective yourself. Messing around with electrics is very dangerous. Occasionally clients have horror stories to tell; for example, they have stuck a pair of tweezers into a gap to yank a wire and got a nasty shock. Do not take risks, and do not use metal objects anywhere near suspected faults. If someone has had a shock, push them away from the source of electricity with something non-conductive like a broom handle, then call 999 immediately.
Fault-Finding in London and Surrey
MD Bespoke assists customers in London and Surrey resolve electrical problems safely and quickly, whether through repair, rewiring or replacement. We’ll assess the situation and provide you with a quote for your various repair options, and we’re on hand to offer servicing and proactive testing if you feel your electrical system is not up to scratch.
Most electrical faults are not catastrophic if diagnosed and fixed quickly, but if left to develop, your family’s lives may be at risk. Don’t delay: call an electrician and have your electrical faults located and diagnosed as soon as possible.
