Typically, the obvious signs of flood damage include damaged furniture, stains, mold, and a musty smell. However, what happens to your electrical wiring after flooding is less obvious. Even if it was only temporarily, to ensure your home’s electrical systems are safe, your electrical wiring will most likely need to be replaced if your home has flooded. Water can still damage your wires to a point where usage will become dangerous due to spark risks, although electrical wiring is insulated. To ensure that you get the help you need when you need it most, contact a professional. Today, we at Burley Electrical Services would like to highlight the water damage to the electrical wiring.
Effect of Water Damage on Electrical Wiring System
Though it is not always just the water, water damage can ruin your wires. Also, a flood isn’t always clean water pouring into your home, which is important to keep in mind. Various contaminants such as oil, gas, runoff chemicals, pollutants, and even sewage can be an issue in floods, especially those from natural disasters and storm surges. The real concern might just be brought in by the water and not the water itself, though the water itself is damaging.
After Water Damage, Perform an Electrical Test
Have a licensed electrician come to your home to perform an electrical test before using any of the electrical appliances in your home following a flood. To figure out exactly where your wiring stands after a flood, electricians, like those at Burley Electrical, can provide a variety of tests. It is recommended that you at least consider replacing your wiring in the affected area, even if your wiring passes the various tests in terms of safety. Corrosion could continue over time, reducing the safety levels of your wires down the road, even if your wires perform at a safe level immediately after flooding has occurred. To keep your home safe, your electrician can help explain what you’ll need to do next, if anything after an inspection.
Do You Need to Replace Electrical Wiring after Flood?
You will most likely need to replace them, even if your wires were only flooded briefly. The chance of deterioration of your wire’s insulation will be increased, if your home has had standing water in it for an extended period.
Should You Move a Wall Outlet Higher?
Raising outlets above average flood levels is one way some homeowners try to combat flood damage if you’re in an area with regular flooding. It is also a good idea for your basement or other areas that might experience flooding more often. Cutting new holes in your drywall for the receptacle boxes and patching up the old ones is generally involved in the process. Outlets are properly connected and tested by plugging in a device or using a multimeter as wires are ran to the new the location. This project should only be done by a licensed electrician to avoid damage and injury. Raising your outlets won’t entirely solve the problem. Even if they are raised, flooding can occur for many different reasons, and your wires and outlets can still be damaged. Raised outlets can still be damaged if the source of the water is an overhead leak like a pipe burst for example. Since wiring that stays in a common flood zone will still be at risk, wiring also will need to be raised to match the raised outlets.
Electrical Wiring Inspections & More in Pompano Beach, Imperial Point, Plantation, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Davie, Lighthouse Point, Parkland & Fort Lauderdale, Florida
When it comes to flood damage, or relocating the outlets, as well as all of your electrical needs in South Florida, call in the professionals of Burley Electrical Services.
