Ranked one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, Atlanta is popular for more than its southern charm. The Georgian capital has a rich cultural and commercial environment, making it one of the best places to live. But if you are considering buying a home in Atlanta, you need to think about more than the vibrant community. It is crucial that you make sure your new home is in working order, which includes assessing the electrical wiring. Below are five warning signs that you may need to call an inspector or electrician to your new Atlanta home.

Hot Outlets

A crucial stage in the home-buying process is looking at different homes with Atlanta GA real estate experts BOULEVARD to find a home that meets your needs and budget. As you do this, touch electrical outlets – do not insert your finger inside the sockets – to check if they are warm. Electrical appliances generate heat while they are on, but outlets should never be hot, especially not uncomfortably hot. A hot outlet is a sign of serious underlying problems in the home.  

Counterfeit UL Stickers

The organization Underwriters Laboratory is a company that assesses the safety standards of electrical products. You will usually see smoke detectors, extension cords, and other devices with a UL sticker, which indicates that the items have passed inspection. Sadly, some manufacturers bypass UL inspections and use counterfeit labels instead. Go around the house and inspect the labels in the home, making sure they do not have any typos or other signs of counterfeiting.  

Aluminum Wiring

Electricians sometimes use aluminum wire to wire a home instead of copper. This is especially common in homes built around the 60s and 70s when copper prices skyrocketed. The sad news is that aluminum, while functional as a wiring option, is a fire hazard – homes with this wiring are 55 times more likely to catch fire. This is why it is banned as a material for residential branch-circuit wiring. Ask your agent to help you hire an inspector to ensure your new home does not have aluminum wiring.

Tangled or Messy Wiring

Wires don’t work better when they are neat and straight. However, extreme tangling or signs of messy or disorganized work can signify a rushed or poorly done electrical job. If you notice crowded electrical boxes and excessively tangled lines in a home, contact an inspector to conduct an inspection and make sure everything is in working order.

Flickering Lights

Turn on the lights in every home you look like and look out for flickering. Sometimes, flickering is a sign of a loose connection, especially if only a single fixture exhibits the problem. However, if every fixture in the home flickers, you may have a problem with the utility drop or breaker box.

Burning Smell

The smell of burning rubber in the home, especially around wires and appliances, is a sign of a serious problem and fire risk. You should have the problem troubleshoot immediately by an inspector. Check whether the smell is localized at one fixture or in multiple spots.  

Explore Atlanta Homes with BOULEVARD Experts

The joys of living in Atlanta can be quickly dimmed, pun intended, by electrical problems. If you are ready to look at homes for sale in Atlanta, enlist the services of real estate experts like the BOULEVARD team. One of the expert women there – Linda Barhoumi, Janice Loose, and Susan Brown – will help you tour different homes, hire an inspector, arrange necessary repairs, and more.