It's Halloween season and while some might believe they have a haunted house, a charity has warned it is more likely that the ghastly goings-on are actually to do with dangerous electrical faults.
Experts are warning that typical experiences associated with haunted houses could present a much more scary reality, leaving your home exposed to a fire.
Flickering lights and green slime oozing from the walls may sound like a scene from an Alfred Hitchcock movie but are far more likely to be explained by electrical faults linked to wiring, than any ghoulish ghost.
“We’re all familiar with scenes in horror movies where the lights constantly flicker and trip,” explained Richard Harvey, electrical installation safety engineer at Electrical Safety First.
“But the reality is far more scary than any ghost. Flickering lights or bulbs that keep blowing are likely caused by a loose connection in your wiring rather than the supernatural.”
Green slime oozing from plug sockets is also a warning to look out for this spooky season.
“A green goo-like substance oozing from your plug sockets is far more likely to be linked to deteriorating wiring than a mutant invasion,” Harvey added.
“When green goo appears, it can adversely affect protective components within your socket and leave you exposed to risk of electric shock in the future. It is mostly seen in wiring predating 1960 and is a chemical reaction between the plastic and copper.”
The consequences of faulty electrics can be far more frightening than a property plagued by the paranormal, leaving your home exposed to fire and those living in it at serious risk.
“A far more effective way of tackling these ghostly signs isn’t to call the Ghostbusters,” Harvey noted.
“A competent and registered electrician will be able to rid your home of any potentially dangerous electrical faults to ensure your property is safe.”
Blood-curdling fines of up to £30,000 may be issued to private landlords in England who do not ensure their property is inspected once every five years under legislation introduced in 2021.
Living in an unsafe home can be far more frightening than any horror film.
Whilst most landlords provide good and safe accommodation for renters, rogue landlords face hefty fines if they actively neglect to comply with the laws.
Electrical Safety First recommends using a competent and registered electrician to undertake an electrical safety inspection on your property.
Landlords and households can find a registered electrician using the charity’s Find an Electrician tool.
Households are also warned to be aware of a change of smell in the home. Whilst movies associate unusual smells including sulphur, with ghostly goings on, strong smells, similar to that of fish, could be burning plastic on plug sockets.
Six signs your house is haunted by dodgy electrics
- Lights that continue to blow or flicker – If you’re constantly finding yourself in the dark, there is a possibility a loose connection is at fault rather than a ghost.
- An unpleasant smell similar to fish – Whilst unpleasant smells such as sulphur are often associated with hauntings, an unwelcome smell, similar to fish, can often be associated with the burning smell of sockets or plastic. Don’t overlook it, report it immediately to your landlord.
- Green goo oozing from the sockets – Unlikely a mutant invasion and more likely a chemical reaction linked to old wiring that can adversely affect protective components in your sockets.
- Yellow sockets – If your plug sockets are yellowing or discolouring in any way, this could be a sign of overheating and a possible risk of fire waiting to happen.
- Cracked or broken sockets and switches – Whilst this may seem like a small inconvenience, it is often indicative that the property has not been checked and further much bigger faults could be present.
- The electricity keeps tripping – If your electrics continue to trip the reality is far more concerning than the paranormal. Tripping electrics are an indicator that your circuits are overloaded or that the wiring in the property is deteriorating.
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