If you hear a buzzing sound in your home, it’s important to figure out if it’s coming from your electrical outlets. Although it might seem of little consequence, the truth is that it may indicate a much more serious problem. After all, your electricity is made through alternating currents. Did you know that the polarity changes approximately 50 times a second? With a properly operating system, you won’t hear any humming or buzzing noises. However, once the electrical hum noise begins, it’s time to contact an electrician.
Why Are My Outlets Buzzing?
Whether it’s just one outlet or every outlet in your house, a humming sound should never be ignored. There are several different reasons why it might start buzzing or humming, though, which we’ll explore below.
Breaker Issues
Is the humming noise coming from your breaker? This indicates that it’s most likely putting out too little or too much electricity, which puts all your electrical outlets in potential danger. Fixing this problem will not be a simple job, either. Residents of the Orlando area are advised to contact a professional electrician right away. That’s because your breaker may need to be replaced. Failure to act quickly could leave you without any power in your house.
Loose Connection
A loose connection is the most likely issue, especially if you own an older home. Over time, the wiring in your home can become loose. Once this happens, those wires begin vibrating, which then causes the fuse box to crackle or buzz. Fixing this issue could be as simple as tightening the connection, but it could also indicate the need to replace the entire outlet.
Broken Outlet
Do you have an outlet that can’t seem to hold a plug in place? This means the outlet’s blades have become damaged. The buzzing or humming sound is caused by the outlet losing the ability to make proper contact with your plug. Rather than constantly fussing with the outlet, your best bet is to have an electrician replace it.
Improper Outlet Installation
Sometimes, the buzzing sound comes from a polarity issue. In layman’s terms, polarity is the charge that enables your outlet to work. Unfortunately, having an amateur install an outlet, or installing it yourself, can tamper with or reverse the polarity. The only way to set things right again is by having an electrician install your outlet properly.
Temperature Changes
This isn’t as likely to happen in Orlando, but it is possible that the electrical buzzing was created by temperature fluctuations that accompany the change of seasons. When you experience a notable change in temperature, it can result in your electrical components expanding and contracting. If this keeps happening, it’s likely to eventually erode your connections, which causes a crackling or buzzing sound.
Arcing
When your outlet has physical damage, corrosion or wear and tear, it can produce a gap in your wiring. This is a disaster waiting to happen. Essentially, your electrical current arcs, or jumps, across the gap. This leads to a crackling or buzzing noise, and if it’s not remedied immediately, it could go on to become a serious electrical hazard.
Hot Outlets Are Also a Problem
What if you don’t hear a buzzing sound, but your outlet is hot to the touch? This is a related issue, so we’ll touch on it briefly.
Device with a Transformer
Your laptop uses a transformer to alter the voltage input and output. As a result, the outlet or electrical strip you’re using can become hot to the touch. If this happens, immediately unplug your laptop or other device to let it cool off. Do you have this issue every single time you plug in your device? It’s best to let an electrician assess the problem further.
Too Much Demand
Your power strip might provide you with six different plug-in spots, but this doesn’t mean you should use all six. Sometimes, the combined electrical load from your devices becomes too much for your outlet to handle. It might begin receiving too much voltage, which can lead to overheating.
Is There a Fire Risk?
Put simply, yes. A buzzing outlet is always trying to issue a warning to you. If you don’t act, it can lead to electrocution or an electrical fire. The average cost of dealing with the aftermath of an electrical fire is between $12,000 and $23,000. This makes the cost of an electrician seem very minimal by comparison.
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