Today's average home consumes about six times as much electricity as the average home 20 years ago. Many older homes are not properly wired for today's electrical loads. Inadequate wiring causes one out of eight home fires.
You probably have overloaded wiring if you answer "yes" to three of the following questions:
- Is your home more than 10 years old?
- Have your fuses blown or circuit breakers tripped lately?
- Is your television picture shrinking or fading?
- Are your lights dimming and electric motors running more slowly than normal?
You can reduce the electric load by staggering your appliance usage and disconnecting appliances not in use. If the problem persists, call an electrician and get a wiring estimate. The cost of rewiring is cheaper than a fire!