Faulty electrical wirings are very dangerous to a property. They can cause harm ranging from extensive fire outbreaks to electrocution. For landlords, Vesta Management Team warns a faulty electrical wiring can cause havoc to their investment or make them lose rental income. Aside from that, you will not want to see your tenants suffer such trauma because of something you can prevent.
As a savvy landlord, you want to maintain your property in top shape and stay cordial with your renters. Some electrical issues can end in legal battles. You do not want your property to have such negative reviews or lose value due to preventable problems.
Electricity is essential to the well-being and survival of your tenants. However, people tend to ignore the electrical system because a larger part lies hidden from plain sight. They only remember it when issues occur, and they can’t use the electricity. In such situations, the problem may escalate and become more severe or consume more money.
For these reasons, you need to ensure proper electrical system maintenance, identify faults before they happen and avoid electrical issues on your property. But how do you detect faulty electrical wiring in a rental property? The good thing is that they give several warning signs. You must pay adequate attention and pick up the early signs. Below are the things you should look out for.
- Flickering or dimming lights
Under normal circumstances, the light bulbs on your rental property should maintain a steady brightness level. That is because they only use a little power. However, if your tenants complain of dimming or flickering light bulbs, it could signify that some major appliances that consume more power (for example, water heaters or washing machines) are using the same circuits as the light bulbs.
You must get an electrician to inspect it and correct the wiring in such cases. Sometimes, the flickering or dimming lights may also be from other issues such as; faulty switches, loose light plugs, faulty bulbs, circuit overload, faulty wiring, loose bulbs, or partial contacts. Your electrician will be able to trace this problem and resolve it. - Sparks
Sparking wires on your rental property are signs you should not ignore. They signify an emergency you should treat immediately. The sparks may be on electrical outlets, fuse boxes, or circuit breakers. Call an electrician immediately if your tenants report sparks from anywhere on your property.
The electrician will inspect the electrical system and repair the issues that resulted in the sparks. If the spark comes from an appliance, they will access it to know if the gadget is faulty or if it is from the wiring. - Burning Smells
Burning electrical cables have a unique smell that you cannot miss. That is because their coating is from synthetic materials. These coatings melt or burn to produce this smell following excessive heating or sparking. But sometimes, it could be from faulty appliances or outlets. You may notice fumes or smoke from the burning cables in severe cases. Call a licensed electrician immediately if you perceive any burning smell on your property. It means an impending disaster awaits if you don’t act fast. - Blown fuse
Fuses protect the electrical system and may blow or trip when they detect a problem. By doing so, they prevent major damage to your property. However, fuses should only blow occasionally. If your tenants complain about these, it means you have damaged or faulty wiring.
Other issues may cause your fuses to blow. They include damaged electrical outlets, circuit overload, problems with the breaker or circuit, wrong fuses, and faulty ground or arc. An electrician will inspect your rental property’s electrical system to check for the cause of blown fuses. Adequate repairs will follow once they detect the problem. - Buzzing sound
Under normal situations, electricity does not produce any sound. Instead, it flows noiselessly between connections. However, you will notice a buzzing sound if the cables are faulty or if you have loose outlets and prongs. Once your tenants complain about this, instruct them to stop using electricity in that section of the property and call in an electrician to deal with it immediately. - Hot switch plates and outlets
Although some appliances consume excessive power and produce more heat, they will not heat your switch plates or outlets. However, you should be concerned if the switch plates or outlets become very hot. When the wiring is faulty, the outlets and switch plates will get hot even when your tenants do not plug anything into them.
Faulty wiring in a rental property can adversely affect the landlord’s source of income. We recommend that you hire the services of a licensed electrician for scheduled electrical system inspection and preventive maintenance.
