Preventing Electrical Fires: Common Electrical Hazards in Older Ocean County Homes

Ocean County, NJ, has a wide variety of home styles, with 38.6% dating from the 1970s and 80s. Several houses are much older, however, with the Andrews-Bartlett Homestead, built in 1699, being the oldest known residence in the county. While this provides a lot of visual interest to the area, older homes also come with an increased risk of electrical fires. These older homes typically have increased electrical demand, along with outdated wiring. Fortunately, Mister Sparky® is here to help you replace the wiring in your home. Our team of professional electricians has the necessary skills and training to help you resolve common fire hazards in your older Ocean County home.

What Causes Electrical Fires in Older Houses?

Aside from the reasons listed above, there are also issues with missing arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), overloaded circuits, and more. Let's dig into each of the primary reasons and find out how you can make your Ocean County home safer, regardless of its age.

Damaged or Worn-Out Wiring and Cords

When we talk about older homes, you might not consider those that were built only 25 years ago. When it comes to worn-out wiring, though, any house that is older than 20 is potentially at risk. Older wiring is often accompanied by deteriorated insulation, which can be highly flammable. For example, if your older wiring causes a spark, it could ignite your insulation. Even worse, the insulation may release toxic gases that can harm your family and firefighters. This issue also extends to frayed electrical cords with exposed internal wiring. If an old cord happens to spark, it could ignite anything around it. The solution to this problem is twofold. First, any old extension cords should be thrown away, followed by receiving electrical rewiring throughout your home. Otherwise, you'll be taking the risk of an electrical fire breakout at any time.

Overloaded Circuits

Older homes not only have fewer circuits, but they may also have lower amperage than modern devices require. As a result, they often become overloaded with today's modern appliances. Once this happens, your circuits can spark, which will put anything in the nearby area at risk of catching fire. To correct this issue, you'll need to have a professional electrician replace your old, outdated circuits. Rewiring your circuit panel will make it meet your increased electrical demands and meet current safety standards.

Using Electrical Cords Incorrectly

Despite common misconceptions, your electrical cords are not meant to be used on a permanent basis. Instead, their purpose is to provide temporary power until you can get your home rewired. Unfortunately, most people who plug in an electrical cord are unlikely to swap it out, which means they're constantly living with the risk of an electrical fire. Whether your entire home needs more outlets or you need them in just one area, the solution is to contact Mister Sparky®. Our team of electricians will expertly rewire your home to give you a proper number of outlets.

Missing AFCIs

AFCIs help protect your home from electrical fires by detecting and interrupting electrical arcs. AFCIs provide protection for 15A and 20 branch circuits. Sadly, older homes typically do not include any AFCIs because they didn't even exist before 1999. Having AFCIs installed is the only way to gain this level of protection. Be sure to ask an electrician about other necessary electrical switches and outlets as well.

Missing GFCIs

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) predate AFCIs, but if you've got a home that was built before the early 1970s, you might not have any of these devices. A GFCI helps prevent overheating and fires by cutting the power whenever there's a ground fault. Additionally, it helps Ocean County homeowners avoid getting an electrical shock. If your home doesn't have any GFCIs, you'll want to have some installed right away. This is yet another electrical service that Mister Sparky® offers.

Damaged Electrical Outlets

Although damaged electrical outlets are not limited to older homes, they are more likely to be found in them. If your plugs don't fit snugly into the outlet, there is a chance that arcing could occur. To take care of damaged electrical outlets, do the following:

• Check for a snug fit
• Use outlet covers
• Replace damaged outlets
• Upgrade outdated outlets

Replacing or upgrading an outdated or damaged outlet is your only option. Both of these tasks should be addressed by a professional. Look for signs of damage such as sparks, buzzing sounds or scorch marks.

Preventing Electrical Fires

The section above lists some ways to help prevent electrical fires, but let's examine them more closely. After all, preventing an electrical fire can help you avoid the associated costs of $2,000-$20,000+.

Use Appliances Correctly

You should never attempt to plug any of your appliances into an extension cord. Instead, always plug them directly into a wall outlet. Also, any small appliances should be unplugged when not in use.

Distribute the Electrical Load

Rather than plugging two major appliances into the same outlet, it's better to split them between two outlets. This helps reduce the overloading of an individual circuit. Some electrical fires could have been prevented if the homeowners had followed this one important tip.

Properly Maintain Cords and Appliances

It's wise to keep a regular eye on your appliances and their cords. For instance, you'll need to purchase a replacement cord at the first sign of any fraying. Older appliances such as a refrigerator also present several additional fire hazards, including:

• Overloaded circuits
• Faulty compressors
• Internal short circuits
• Faulty relays

Put Combustible Materials Away

There are a wide variety of flammable materials in your household, including furniture, curtains and cardboard boxes. Be sure that each of these items is placed away from your appliances and power outlets.

Upgrade Your Electrical System

If you don't already have them in place, be sure to install GFCIs and AFCIs for your protection. It's also important to ensure your electrical panel is up to date.

Install Extra Smoke Alarms

In Ocean County, fire codes state that you only need to have one smoke alarm per floor. However, this should be looked at as the bare minimum. To offer your family better protection against fires, consider adding a smoke alarm to each bedroom, too.

Schedule Regular Electrical Inspections

There are several things that can go wrong with your electrical system, and you might not even notice them. Therefore, it's in your best interests to have a Mister Sparky® professional perform regular electrical inspections. Please note that this is especially true if your Ocean County home was built more than 40 years ago.

Ocean County's Proven Electrical Team

Mister Sparky® pledges to 'get it done right, and get it done safely.' In other words, we should be your first call for all your Ocean County electrical needs. We offer a robust line of services, including electrical switches and outlets, wiring, smoke detectors and emergency repair services. Don't put up with any malarkey! Reach out to Mister Sparky® in Ocean County today for all your electrical needs.