It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare: to be woken up in the middle of the night by the smell of smoke and the sound of alarms. Within a matter of minutes, all their possessions and memories have disappeared, and the life they once knew is left in ashes.

It sounds too unthinkable to be true; however, every year, thousands of homeowners lose their homes to electrical fires. And what’s even worse is knowing all this pain and suffering could have been avoided.

Electrical panels (also known as circuit breakers) are one of the leading causes of electrical fires in homes. It’s important that every homeowner understands the warning signs of a faulty electrical panel and knows exactly how to prevent an electrical panel fire.

Dangers of a Faulty Electrical Panel

Obviously, if you have a faulty panel, you run the risk of losing electricity in your home. However, you could be risking much more than a night without TV, or not being able to charge your phone.

Faulty circuit breakers are one of the leading causes of electrical fires in homes. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that roughly 45,000 homes and buildings are involved in electrical fires each year.

The worst part is, most of these fires are preventable. If homeowners knew when to call an electrician, and the warning signs of a faulty electrical panel, the occurrence of house fires would dramatically decrease.

Warning Signs There May Be Something Wrong

When it comes to the electrical panel, it can be hard for the average homeowner, without electrical training, to know something is wrong. However, there are several indicators that are easy to look out for:

  • Federal Pacific Panels: If your home was built between the 1950s and 1980s, it may be using a Federal Pacific Electric panels. There is a fundamental design flaw in these panels that makes them prone to fires. While these panels have been replaced in most homes, there are still millions of homeowners using these dangerous devices. If you have one in your home, it is recommended you have it replaced right away.
  • Panel Is Over 30 Years Old: The age of your panel is very important. A professional electrician should inspect any system over 30 years old. This is the age when panels may start having issues due to wear. An electrician can catch any small problems and correct them before they turn into tragic situations.
  • Exposed Wires: There should never be visible wires in your electrical panel. If you look in your panel and see wires hanging or sticking out, you should call an electrician right away.

Call The Professionals You Can Trust

If you are worried about the electrical panel in your home, call Mister Sparky! Our highly trained technicians will inspect your entire electrical system to ensure it is up to the latest safety regulations. Don’t wait until your faulty electrical panel causes the unthinkable to happen. Call Mister Sparky today.