Are you looking to rent out your property? If so, it is always a good idea to check your electrical systems before giving over rental property to tenants.
The U.S. has approximately 51000 electrical fire accidents each year. These accidents result in more than 500 deaths. Property damage because of electric fire accounts for $1.3 billion annually.
The first step towards safety would be to check your property for any issues related to electrical cables. Here are 9 routine electrical issues you must check for in your property.
1. Flickering Lights
Flickering lights once in a while is not something to worry about. However, increased frequency of flickering is a concern. You should call an electrician immediately in such circumstances. Get the issue checked and resolved before you rent your home or office.
2. Burning Smells
If you detect any strange or burning smell in the house, investigate thoroughly. Check every appliance by plugging and unplugging to know where the odor is coming from. If it is persistent and does not go away in time, you need a professional electrician to check the fault and rectify it.
3. Tripping Breakers
Tripping of circuit breakers is definitely not a good sign. It generally happens due to overloading by a large appliance. Regular tripping of breakers might be a sign of overload in a socket. It needs to get fixed by an electrical professional. It can also be a sign of a short circuit or unground wiring issue if it occurs often.
4. Outdated Wiring
Wear and tear of the wiring becomes more dangerous with time. A corroded or broken wire is more prone to short circuits. It becomes even more hazardous if there are kids at home, as there are chances that kids may come in contact with open wires and harm themselves.
5. Ungrounded Wiring
If the cables are not correctly placed underground, they can explode in the case of a short circuit. Therefore, you need to keep checking their condition if they are old. Some of them can pop up and cause a threat to life. An electrician needs to be called for an overall security check before renting out the property.
6. Electrical Shock
No one wants to get electric shocks in their home. Check if you are getting the shock from a particular appliance or a circuit. If the device is an issue, do not plug it in again. Send it for repair. If other machines are also producing shocks in the same socket, there is an electrical connection problem.
7. Chewed or Frayed Wiring
You can fix this situation temporarily. Holes and cuts in wires can be covered with tape. Do not forget to switch off the power supply while doing it. But remember, this is only a temporary solution for your safety. Call an electrician, as the tape can later come off.
8. Malfunctioning Outlets
If an outlet loses power, it can become an inconvenience for the tenants. Plugging a device in somewhere else is only a temporary solution. Moreover, it can indicate an underlying fault. So, it is essential to ensure that all the outlets are properly working and in good condition.
9. Tripped Wires
Electric connections come in phases. They can be single-phase, double phase, or higher, depending on your use. If the family’s appliances that are going to stay in your home require higher than what you have, they might need an upgrade in the connection. If wires are constantly tripping, it is a sign of too much power being drawn from a single source. There can be an issue with settings also, which needs to be checked.
Be a good and responsible landlord! Watch out for common electrical issues as described above before renting out your property.
We hope you found this blog post 9 Common Electrical Issues a Landlord Should Check In Rental Property useful. Be sure to check out our post 8 Ways to Renovate Your Rental Home to Increase Rental Income for more great tips!
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