What are the Signs of an Electrical Fire?

Your home can go up in flames faster than you think, as quickly as 3 minutes. Up to eight times faster than they would have 50 years ago. 

In Canada, 20% of home fires are caused by electrical issues. Usually due to aging equipment, poor wiring or manufacturer faults.

However, if you can recognize the warning signs of an electrical fire before it happens, our SW Calgary Electricians can help to save your family AND your home. 

Recognizing Early Signs of Electrical Fires

Early detection of potential electrical fires can be life-saving. Identifying these signs can enable interventions by our Calgary Electrical Service Professionals, potentially saving both lives and property: 

Persistent Burning Smell Without a Source

If you detect a burning odor but cannot locate where it’s coming from, it could be an indicator of an electrical fire starting within your walls or electrical panel. 

Should you pinpoint the source, immediately turn off power to that area. If the source remains undetected, shut down the entire home’s electrical system and consult a professional electrician (link) immediately. 

If the smell is accompanied by smoke or is particularly strong, evacuate your home immediately and call emergency services.

 

Frequent Circuit Breaker Tripping

It’s normal for breakers to trip occasionally, but if this happens frequently, it could signal more serious issues. 

Overloaded Circuits: This usually happens when too many appliances are running simultaneously on the same circuit.  Redistributing appliances can help alleviate this issue. 

Oftentimes older homes have had a number of renovations done, with poor rewiring leaving too many rooms fed by a single circuit. This is a common problem that our SW Electricians can help you rectify. 

Short Circuits: This more severe problem occurs when a hot wire comes into contact with a neutral wire, causing excessive current flow that trips the breaker. This is often caused by dangerous aluminum wiring (link) found in older homes, or a poor DIY job by the previous owner. 

Ground Faults: Common in moist areas like kitchens or bathrooms, this occurs when a hot wire contacts a ground wire or metal box, posing shock risks (they’re nasty!). Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) (link) are recommended and typically pre-installed for these locations in your home. 

When your electrical breakers trip, they are doing what they’re designed to do. But even breakers can be the cause of potential issues when they don’t trip as they’re supposed to (link). Electrical breakers are an important safety feature of your home, but are definitely an item with a shelf life. 

If you notice one or more of your breakers are tripping consistently, give the Celtex team a call for prompt Calgary Electrical Services.  

Charred or Discoloured Outlets and Switches

You may have noticed that one of your outlets has stopped working, or has a blackened mark forming near the plugin.  

Discoloration or charring on outlets or switches can indicate electrical arcing that has already caused damage. These should be inspected by a professional to determine if they need to be replaced to prevent further risks. 

We can determine the source of the problem, whether it be your outlet or the appliances you are using to ensure your home is safe. Our suite of services has got you covered. 

Pro Tip – You can touch the outlets, switches or cover plates to check for excess heat. If they are hot to the touch it is likely that the wiring beneath is hot as well. 

What is “Arcing”?

Arcing is what happens when electrical current is disrupted by a break in the circuit, leading the electrical current to leap across the resulting gap. Plugging items in and out of a worn or aging outlet is often the cause of arcing in your home.  

This action generates sparks and intense heat at its source. If these sparks come into contact with flammable materials nearby, they can ignite a fire. Over time, arcing in an outlet or switch also causes damage that further degrades the electrical contacts, meaning the arcing will get worse with time. 

The process of arcing can be particularly dangerous because it often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. The sparks produced can be small yet have enough energy to start significant fires, especially if they reach paper, fabric, or other easily combustible materials. Knowing the warning signs of arcing and other electrical issues can be a vital part of maintaining safety and preventing damage in any home. 

For further detailed insights on recognizing the early warning signs before an electrical fire could potentially start, including understanding what arcing is and how to respond to it, visit the following resource: What is Arcing?.

Electrical Fire Hazards You Need to Repair

Even if no immediate signs of fire are evident, certain conditions may still pose significant fire risks: 

Damaged or Outdated Wiring

Wiring should be inspected every four years, as there are multiple factors that can contribute to damaged wiring over time.  

Risks include damaged insulation or connections due to: 

Animal activity (mice anybody?).

Wear and tear due to renovation work & heavy use.

Or age & composition. The insulation on wiring can dry and wear over time. Additionally, aluminum home wiring causes a large increase in overall fire risk due to a number of different issues.  

While copper wiring itself can last up to a century, its insulation may degrade much sooner, necessitating an inspection or replacement. Electrical wiring is no different than your home ducting or plumbing, eventually portions may fail or require replacement. If you are not sure of the last time your home was rewired or had its wiring checked, give our SE Electricians a call for a safety review of your home. 

More Risks of Old Electrical Wiring

While aging electrical wiring itself may not exhibit outward warning signs, it is inherently risky, particularly under the increased electrical loads typical of a modern household. 

Older wiring systems may be unable to cope with today’s higher power requirements and may become overloaded, leading to overheating, melting or sparking in your outlets. Older wiring can significantly increase the likelihood of experiencing electrical issues in general, thus increasing the risk of an electrical fire. 

For a deeper understanding of these issues and more detailed advice on preventing electrical fires, consider exploring further resources: House Digest Electrical Fire Warning Signs.

Your Lights Dim or Flicker Without a Cause

If lights in your home dim or flicker and there’s no obvious reason, such as high local power demand or someone adjusting a dimmer, this could indicate serious electrical issues that need immediate attention such as: 

Bad connections within your electrical system

These unstable connections can lead to arcing, where electricity jumps across the gaps in the circuit, generating heat. This heat has the potential to ignite flammable materials commonly found within walls, such as insulation, wood framing, and drywall. 

Given that much of a home’s wiring is concealed behind walls, identifying the exact location of a faulty connection can be challenging without professional help (link). If you observe your lights flickering or dimming, it’s important to take note of where and when these fluctuations occur. This information can be invaluable to a Calgary Electrician who can perform a detailed investigation and address the underlying issues. 

You may also be experiencing an overloaded circuit.

Or,

Lack of power supply to your neighborhood. Call your local electrical supplier to ask about the power supply in your area. Dimming lights due to a brownout are not an immediate danger to your family or home. 

However, if this is happening for another reason, you may have a serious fire hazard & will need to have your electrical panel & connections reviewed by a Calgary Electrician as soon as possible. 

Excessive Use of Power Bars and Extension Cords

Power bars and extension cords may work well for your television or working in your garage, but they are not a safe & permanent way of running power through your home. 

Too many power bars & cords can actually cause an increased risk of fire hazards, especially when bought cheaply (link) or poorly maintained. The circuits & outlets in your home are designed for a certain amount of output, and using these to overcome that  can be risky over time. 

If you find that you are forced to rely on things like this to get the power you need, consider making additions to your outlets (link) or adding a circuit to get that power where you need it safely. 

Crackling or popping noises

 

Crackling, sizzling, or popping noises coming from an outlet or circuit box should be checked out by an electrician right away. These noises are usually related to improper installation, faulty hardware, or moisture leaking into the electrical box.  Any of these issues can lead to arcing or faults and result in a fire. 

Besides the potential of electrical fires, Celtex Electric warns that arcing is often dangerous and can cause bodily harm if it makes contact with a person. The popping sound caused by arcing is the electricity moving through the air from the damaged wire, connection or outlet blade to another striking point. The arc flash produced by this type of electrical discharge can cause serious burns, cardiac arrest, and nerve damage.

When using higher voltages, injury can occur over 10 feet away from the origination point of the arc. 

However, it’s more likely that you will come across the common problem of flashing occurring from an outlet. This is often caused by old, worn-out electrical sockets, sloppy DIY repairs, or moisture forming inside the outlet. All of these problems can lead to sparking coming from the area of the outlet and should be investigated promptly by a professional electrician.

Professional Electrical Inspections

Regular electrical inspections by qualified professionals, such as those from Celtex Electric & Automation, are an important part of electrical safety in your home. These inspections can identify and mitigate potential hazards, ensuring your home remains safe from electrical fires. If you suspect any of the aforementioned issues, scheduling an electrical inspection should be a top priority.