Can Humidity Cause Electrical Problems Inside Homes?
Humidity can cause damage to electrical equipment and wires inside homes. Typically, high humidity leads to condensation that destroys electric devices. Water droplets settle on primarily metallic equipment. Humidity inside your home comes from basic activities, such as cooking, bathing, drying laundry and washing dishes. In addition, plumbing problems like leaking pipes increase moisture levels. Plus, your heating and cooling devices at home contribute to high humidity. Lack of proper ventilation means that the air will be full of water vapor.
What Is Humidity?
Humidity is the concentration of water vapor that’s present in the air. Your home generates excess moisture by itself. For instance, heating appliances with kerosene models and unvented natural gas add moisture to the atmosphere. During the winter, walls, doors and windows that don’t have proper insulation contribute to condensation. Water droplets accumulate on the surfaces, and they run down to major electrical components. Here are ways that humidity causes electrical problems in your abode.
Corrosion
For starters, humidity affects electrical wires and switches. Excess moisture corrodes the contacts through massive rusting. Copper and aluminum wires are susceptible to rusting. In the end, the rust eats up the cables and switches, leaving them bare and dangerous. In addition, moisture can enter through the panel box and erode the circuit breaker.
Your electric gadgets such as computers and televisions are also at risk of corrosion. In the kitchen, your electric junction box will rust due to high moisture content. The wires will rust and cease functioning. At Brennan Electric, we will spot any sign of corrosion and fix the problem immediately.
Tripping Circuit Breaker
When moisture corrodes wiring and other electrical contacts, short-circuiting occurs. Humidity causes a current increase in your home, tripping the circuit breaker. Water droplets in appliances such as refrigerators and hairdryers lead to high wattage. You will experience short circuits frequently in a bid to protect the electric equipment.
When that happens, we need to inspect the panel box to look for any issues. We advise you to avoid doing it on your own as it can be dangerous. Our adept electricians will attend to you in Seattle and the surrounding areas.
Flickering and Dim Lights
You might notice from time to time that your bathroom or kitchen lights are flickering. The root cause of the problem is condensation caused by excessive moisture in the air. As aforementioned, water gets into switches when it runs down the walls. As a result, wires begin rusting and eventually cause problems. Corrosion leads to loose connections that affect your light fixtures.
With time, your home will experience flickering light and dim illumination as well. Our electricians can check the wiring and fix loose connections. This way, you can enjoy bright light lights free from any flickering and dimness.
Electrical Shocks
Electrical shocks can be fatal since they can leave you with life-threatening injuries. It’s easy for water vapor to settle on your electrical equipment in a humid home. When you touch these devices, you will experience an electric shock. Water conducts electricity and gets electrically charged. Thus, touching wet electric devices exposes you to electrostatic discharge.
If you notice that an appliance is wet, then you shouldn’t touch it with your bare hands. For instance, if your computer or television screen is ‘sweating,’ don’t handle it. We will come to your home to check the gadgets and remedy the situation. Look out for bare wires in your house to avoid stepping on them.
Overheating
Electric devices, such as computers, rely on fans to keep them cool. When moisture gets into the equipment, the fan suffers immense damages. In that regard, the internal fan will strain to cool the computer. If you’re typing with the device on your lap, you will notice that it’s getting hotter. The primary reason for the high temperatures is the ruined fan that is struggling to lower the heat.
Water vapor prevents the fan from doing its work, leading to overheating. The worst part is that excess heat ruins significant components in your laptop and other devices. They can stop working, forcing you to buy a new computer or HVAC.
Electric Surge
Statistically, rusty and corroded wires cause 80% of power surges in your home. Weather problems such as lightning also contribute to surges. The water vapor that settles in major electrical appliances leads to high voltage. In turn, your home will experience power loss for a short time. The period can be a few seconds or minutes, depending on the machines that are on power.
Electric surge damages your appliances when the power comes back on. Plus, your bulbs will blow out and won’t work anymore. If you replace light fixtures regularly, surges are causing the problem. It means that your electrical wires and switches aren’t working correctly due to corrosion.
Malfunctioned Electric Equipment
Excess humidity leads to electric equipment heating up and eventually malfunctioning. For example, your AC can strain hard to the extent it breaks down during summer. Faulty wiring damages the appliance since the power isn’t getting to the right components. Also, rusty wires mean that your switches will stop working. Besides, you might try to power your bulbs, and they will blow off entirely. Buying new bulbs every time culminates in extra costs.
The dishwasher in the kitchen won’t turn on since humidity has ruined the major parts that run the machine. The good news is that at Brennan Electric, we can review electrical wiring and mend the problem quickly.
High Electricity Bills
High energy bills at the end of the month are a result of power surges from humidity. Damaged wires due to corrosion lead to skyrocketing energy costs. When your HVAC is running continuously due to damaged parts, power consumption is high. Short-circuiting is another reason why you end up paying costly power bills. Due to high moisture levels, an expert might read incorrect energy consumption figures.
We can intervene in the situation by identifying the major problems that lead to surges and short circuits. Plus, we will repair poor wiring so that your equipment can run efficiently and correctly as it should.
How to Control Humidity at Home
Brennan Electric has the ultimate solution to excess humidity in your residence. For starters, you need a dehumidifier to get rid of the water vapor in the air. We will install one that suits your budget and needs as well. Crucial areas such as bathrooms and the kitchen will need an effective dehumidifier.
We will inspect your AC to ensure that it’s working correctly. An air conditioner keeps your home cool, reducing humidity levels. Gas and electric furnaces should be in excellent condition to keep your residence at the right moisture content. Ensure that you cover food while cooking to keep humidity at bay.
Leave your interior doors open if you can, for proper air circulation. Our experts can measure moisture levels in your home and give you a preliminary report. This way, we can advise on the best action to ensure you don’t experience electrical problems any longer.
Contact us at Brennan Electric for electrical services including lighting installation and electrical panels in Seattle and the surrounding areas. Our electricians will troubleshoot electric problems in your residence and solve them. We also offer cooling and heating services, including tune-ups, repairs and new installation services.
