Most of us are quite privileged to have a consistent and reliable access to electrical power in our homes and our businesses. To consider the incredible notion of widespread electricity access, we have to consider that we have wrangled the power of electricity and have been able to safely distribute it amongst any building or home that might need it, over massively wide swaths of land. This ability has been at the heart of societal growth over the 20th and 21st century, and has led to an untold amount of innovation and technological advancement since. But we can’t forget that electricity is an incredibly powerful element that, even for our best attempts to harness and control it, can still be incredibly dangerous without the proper safety and knowledge. 

That’s where a professional electrician like the ones on our team at IKON Electric comes in. We have been serving the Loves Park area for years now with high quality commercial and residential electrical services, utilizing our knowledge and safety experience to provide the electrical services that you just can’t risk trying to figure out on your own. Keep reading to learn a bit more about some potentially dangerous electrical problems that simply require a trained professional in order to be dealt with, and how our team can safely help you.

Defective Wiring

The wiring in your home or business building is an incredibly important but complex network that distributes electrical power where it is needed. However, the variety of wiring and connections and wear and tear over time can lead to some wires developing defective issues, like corrosion, cracks, frays or simply just losing structural integrity. Defective wires can greatly increase the chance of a dangerous electrical problem arising, whether it’s a spark that could cause a fire or shock anyone who tries to fix it without the proper training and gear.

Circuit Breaker Issues

The circuit breaker is the centralized box in a building that essentially controls the power to all the different parts of your wiring and outlet network. It is designed to “trip” when the system and wiring is overloaded, to prevent the overheating of wires that could lead to electrical disaster. However, circuit breaker boxes can also trip more randomly as they get older, and with so much power in a centralized location, the wrong approach or unsafe method of DIY fixing could unleash a lot of electrical power into your body. Avoid even attempting to fix your breaker box issues, and consult a trained and experienced professional electrician.

Flickering Light Bulbs

We have all seen a flickering light bulb, whether in our home or in a scary movie. If we see one in our home however, there is a good chance we feel the need to fix it. While avoiding the “how many electricians does it take to screw in a lightbulb” joke out there, it’s relatively safe to simply unscrew a flickering bulb, as it is likely loose or potentially defective. However, if a replacement bulb doesn’t fix the flickering, that means it’s likely an issue with the light fixture connection to the wiring. Any attempt to fix that means you are exposing yourself to the larger network of electrical power and voltage, and without the right experience and gear, can be incredibly dangerous.

Smothered Cords

We use electricity for a lot of different appliances in our home, and part of that installation process is organizing cords, whether it’s an extension cord or a variety of power cords for something like a computer + monitor setup. In our efforts to put them out of the way and as organized as possible, we might put our cords into places or positions that can increase the risk of an electrical disaster. A cord that is smothered, or an outlet that has no ventilation, or an extension cord block that is overloaded are also electrical setups that highly increase the risk of overheating, sparks, and the potential of lethal shock and fire. If you do find a cord setup in your home that is at risk of causing this, be very cautious, and consider the safer play of contacting a trusted electrician in your area.

Sparking Sockets

When you plug in a cord to your electrical outlet, you might have seen a spark between the holes in the outlet and the metal end of the cord plug in. While that might seem a little concerning, it’s actually a pretty common occurrence when first plugging in a cord. However, what is not as common and much more dangerous is larger sparks that continually occur at the socket, or a crackling/popping that occurs after you have plugged in the cord. These signs indicate that there is likely a loose wire in the socket, and trying to fix it yourself is exposing you to the high voltages that run through your building. If you are experiencing sparking sockets, contact your local electrician for a safe and reliable service.

Electrical Contracting Services – IKON Electric

Access to consistent and reliable electricity is a great privilege, but if we forget the awesome and truly uncontrollable power of electricity, we can put our loved ones or ourselves in great danger by trying to approach or fix dangerous electrical problems ourselves. If you run into any of these potential issues listed above, or simply encounter an electrical issue that you don’t feel comfortable checking out yourself our team of electricians at IKON Electric can help. Contact us today.