10 Shocking Wiring Dangers That Could Set Your Home on Fire!

1. Overlamping

What It Means: A fixture is using a light bulb with a higher wattage than it is designed to handle.

Code Violation? Yes.

Danger Level: High. A bulb with too high of a wattage can generate excessive heat, which may scorch or melt the socket and insulation on the fixture's wiring. This increases the risk of arcing---sparks jumping between wires. Arcing is one of the leading causes of electrical fires. Even after the bulb is removed, the damage to the socket and wires remains.

Solution: Always follow the wattage limit listed on light fixtures made since 1985. For older fixtures that lack wattage markings, use bulbs no larger than 60 watts. When in doubt, choose LED bulbs, which consume less energy and produce less heat.