5 Signs a Power-Point Is Faulty

electricians

While electricity helps us in many ways to achieve and maintain health, according to the Electrician Perth Experts when something goes wrong with it, knowledgeable electricians would be the first to insist it should be fixed by a qualified person – and of course, we know it’s not legal to do it yourself. This includes sparks coming out of the power points. There are several reasons why this may happen.

  1. In some cases when the cord from a device is pulled out of the power point without switching it off first, there will be a spark. This is because there was a load on the power point. In fact, the device should always be switched off where possible, before removing the socket from the wall. Having that spark means the inside of the power point gets hotter and this can wear it out more quickly.
  2. Sparks, smoke or heat coming from a power point are all bad news. It could be shorting out. The power should be switched off at the junction and an electrician called immediately, before a fire breaks out.
  3. There are several ways to tell if a power point is worn out or faulty and needs replacing. One is the switch knob itself is loose or wobbly or it won’t switch on. This means the switch is broken inside and should be replaced.
  4. If the power point is cracked or damaged, it is dangerous. Do not use it at all. Place duct tape over it so no one can try and switch it on, then call the electrician. In no way try and use it or fix it yourself. That is dangerous to your health.
  5. When you plug an appliance into the power point and find it slides halfway out again, or is loose and wobbly, it means there is wear and damage inside it. Do not use it again until it has been replaced.

When you get the electrician in to fix a power point, consider upgrading to a double one to save on the use of those double adaptors that are not terribly safe to use. These days you can also have an inbuilt USB charging point installed along with the power point, which can certainly be helpful. Considering the extra functionality it gives you the extra cost is worth it.

You may also want to consider having the electrician check other power points and light switches while he is there, especially if yours is an older home. If one power point is faulty, others are likely to be on the way out too.

You can even have additional power points added to increase the functionality. These days there is a big need for more power points in homes, with multiple computers and televisions as well as all the other devices we use.