Loose wire connections in a receptacle

Over time, the connections that secure the wires current carrying wires to the receptacles can loosen. This is due to the fact that when wires have current flowing through them they generate a small amount of heat that causes the wire to expand. When the current stops the wire contracts again.

This constant expansion and contraction will eventually compromise the connections from the wire to the outlet.

Circuit breaker constantly trips

Circuit breakers are an important safety device for any modern home electrical system. One of the most common reasons circuit breakers constantly trip is a circuit with too much current flowing through it. This could be the result of too many appliances plugged into outlets on the same circuit.

Another (and more dangerous) reason why a circuit breaker could be tripping frequently is a short circuit. A short circuit occurs when a hot and neutral wire come into contact with each other. This contact creates a circuit with very low resistance compared to a properly designed circuit which would have more resistance due to receptacles or appliances being offering more resistance on that circuit.

Signs of burning or smell of burning from electrical box

Corrosion and rust can cause an electrical service box to suffer from compromised connections and loose wires.

One of the worst dangers posed by this situation is the metal electrical panel box coming in contact with a live wire. This is why all electricians and home inspectors carry a multimeter with them in order to make sure the electrical panel box is not electrified before touching it.

Electrical wires or outlets near sources of water

A GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) is a device that helps protect against the hazards of water being around electrical outlets. It is never a good idea to have a non-GFCI electrical receptacle near a source of water.

Additionally, any wires such as extension cords should not be touching standing pools of water.

Too many plugs in an outlet

While circuit breakers are meant to be a fail safe against too much current flowing through a circuit, if a circuit breaker is damaged or not functioning properly the risk of a fire is greatly increased.

If there are too many lights appliances or gadgets plugged into one outlet it could cause the circuit to overheat in the absence of a properly functioning circuit breaker or fuse.

There are over 5,000 electrical fires caused by overloaded outlets each year. It is always a good idea to use multiple receptacles for multiple things that are plugged in whenever possible.