How One Small Leak Can Spell Disaster For Your Home’s Electrical System
Electricity is used in almost all aspects of modern life. It can illuminate dark places, power necessities like hospital machines and refrigerators for food, and provide entertainment for you and your family.
Problems start appearing when you factor water leaks into the equation.
They can be viewed as a simple inconvenience until water starts to drip on electrical wires and light fixtures. It’s best to go ahead and quickly fix your leaks before they harm you and your family.
The Risk of Electrocution
Water is a very strong conductor when it’s exposed to electricity. The good news is that leaks can be easy to spot on ceilings and floors. Unfortunately, they’re not so easy to spot in the spaces you don’t normally enter.
The water can (and will) eventually collect in your light fixtures, flow down the interior of the walls, and drip onto your electrical wires, light switches, and outlets. Stay away from all switches, pull chains, fixtures, and outlets that you might see water collecting around.
Call a professional electrician to inspect your electrical system and, depending on whether the leak is coming from the roof or the plumbing, a roofer or a plumber.
The Risk of Electrical Fires
When a water leak occurs in a part of your home that you don’t frequently enter, it can be several days before the leak is noticeable in other parts of your house.
This can cause your electrical wires to corrode and promote mold growth. Your electricity can also short out or start a fire.
If you have any light fixtures that have remained submerged for a period of time, replacing them is recommended. Also, make sure the electrical wires are inspected for water damage.
The Risk of Your Ceilings Collapsing
Leaks can absolutely wreak havoc on most residential ceilings. This happens when water begins seeping into your ceiling, causing it to expand and lose most of its structural integrity.
Soaked ceilings are extremely dangerous to be around, and when they fall, they can take the light fixtures to the ground with them. The last thing you want is for you or a loved one to be standing under it when it comes crashing down.
If you suspect you have a leak in your ceiling that’s causing electrical problems, contact an electrician. If the leak persists, call a plumber.
A Solution to the Problem
The best thing to do in the event of a leak is to shut down all the power to that area of the house.
After that, call your preferred electrician to assess the damage to your wiring. If the leak persists, contact your local plumbing repair specialists.
To minimize the amount of damage that water can cause when it comes in contact with electrical outlets, install GFCI outlets in areas where water is present — like bathrooms, kitchens, garages, etc. You can’t always protect your electrical system against leaks, but you can do something to help prevent the damage.
If this ever happens to you, contact Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. We’ve got you covered.
