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Do You Know About These Common Home Electrical Hazards?

Woman looking at a elecitical breaker
Woman looking at a elecitical breaker
Woman looking at a elecitical breaker

Spot electrical problems in your home and know when to call in the experts.

When was the last time you thought about your home’s electrical safety? Here, we’ll tell you all about common electrical hazards – and how to fix them. 

Possible electrical dangers in your home

  • Wires not properly grounded: All home wiring should have a wired connection to the ground. An ungrounded circuit may allow current to stray from this intended path, increasing the risk of electric shock and serious injury.
  • Aluminum wiring: It's been illegal in most applications since 1978, but aluminum wiring, which is cheaper than copper, was popular in the early '70s. Unlike copper, aluminum is soft and malleable, can get overheated easily, and poses a potential fire hazard.
  • Older homes or homes with remodeled additions: If your home ever underwent a DIY remodeling, or work was performed by a contractor who didn't secure the right permits or follow proper codes, you may be at risk.
  • The wrong size circuit breakers: Circuit breakers are safety devices designed to trip if too much electricity is flowing through a particular wire. Danger can result if there's a mismatch between the size of the circuit breaker and the size of any wire.

Don't wait to fix electrical hazards

Call in a licensed electrician to complete these inspection or repairs:

  • You suspect your house might have aluminum wiring, have a professional electrician investigate – this is not a DIY job
  • Your home has been remodeled in the past and you don't know the history of the renovation
  • A particular outlet is not functioning or functions intermittently
  • An appliance or switch gives you an electric shock
  • Your lights dim when the AC or another appliance comes on  –  a sign something is drawing too much current
  • You experience a burning smell or lights flickering in your home
  • You repeatedly trip circuit breakers

While electrical work is not a DIY job, you don’t have to find or fix the problem alone. An electric protection plan can help cover the cost of repair, maintenance, and more. Shop our Protection Plans to learn more about safeguarding your home's electrical system. 

Browse our protection plans

Our plans give you lots of options, so you can get just what you need for your home without paying for coverage you don't need.

Shop our protection plans

Terms and conditions contained in the protection plans may limit our contract obligations due to coverage caps, coverage exclusions, and our cash back offer. View plan details for more information.

*Repair claims are limited to $500 per service call and $2,000 per plan in the aggregate per plan term. Plans are provided by NRG Protects Inc. Independent contractors will be performing various services under the plans. In some instances we may make a cash payment in lieu of repairs or replacement in the amount of actual cost, which may be less than retail, to repair or replace any covered system, component, or appliance.

**If your authorized repair technician determines that the water heater is deemed irreparable, we will give you a credit of $500 towards a replacement water heater by your authorized repair technician.

Once repair plans commence, there is a 30-day waiting period before you may request services for a claim. Unless the plan provider elects not to renew the plan, upon expiration of the first year, the plan will automatically renew at the standard rate and terms unless you opt out of the auto-renewal option in writing by mail at P.O. Box 2309, Houston, TX 77252- 2309, by email at cancel@nrgprotects.com or by calling us at 1.855.241.9094. Sales tax will be added in select states.

This is a summary of what the provider will and will not cover under the plan, and is subject to the Terms and Conditions of the plan. The Terms and Conditions may limit the provider's contractual obligations due to coverage caps, coverage exclusions and any cash-back option available under the plan. Please refer to the Sample Terms & Conditions for details.