It’s difficult for homeowners to determine if they need to have a residential electrician in San Jose rewire the building. The most effective way to protect your family from electrical fires is to schedule a professional inspection by a certified electrician. Inspections can be beneficial even if you haven’t noticed any problems, but you should definitely schedule an appointment soon if you’ve noticed any of the following issues.
You have an older home. 
Have you recently bought an older home, or are you considering purchasing one? Or maybe you’ve been living in your current residence for decades, and can’t remember the last time an electrician visited. Any of these situations may call for electrical rewiring. The electrician will check for common problems associated with older homes, including the presence of aluminum wiring instead of copper wiring and ungrounded, two-prong outlets. In addition, if you have an extension cord at nearly every outlet, the wiring is likely inadequate for your family’s modern needs.
You’ve recently made major renovations.
Not every home renovation affects the electrical wiring. Simply replacing your kitchen cabinets, flooring, or bathroom vanities, for example, doesn’t necessarily mean an electrician should upgrade your system. But if your renovations include adding major appliances, like a hot tub or an extra chest freezer in the basement, then an electrician should inspect the system. It’s possible that you’ll need to rewire the home so that it’s capable of supporting the increased electricity needs.
You’ve noticed warning signs of electrical problems.
Your electrical system can give you some warning signs that a major malfunction could happen soon. Your electrician may need to rewire the home or upgrade the panel if the circuit breaker trips frequently. Other warning signs may include the following:
- The odor of something burning that isn’t caused by meal preparation
- Loose electrical outlets
- Sparking or arcing from an outlet when a cord is plugged in or unplugged
- Lights that frequently flicker or grow dimmer inexplicably
- Sizzling or buzzing sounds
- Frequently burned-out lightbulbs
- Light switch plates that are discolored or feel hot
Do not attempt to fix these problems yourself, as electrical malfunctions can be dangerous.