An Expert Electrician’s Checklist for Spotting Bad Electrical Work
Most electrical problems don’t tend to announce themselves with fanfare. They show up quietly: a light that flickers when the microwave turns on, a breaker that trips “once in a while,” or an outlet that feels a little warm to the touch. According to electrical engineer Nicholas Barber, these aren’t quirks of an old house—they’re warnings.
“Electricity is very polite at first,” Barber laughs. “It gives you signals long before something fails catastrophically. The danger is that people learn to live with those signals instead of investigating them.”
In this interview-style guide, Barber walks through how professionals evaluate bad electrical work, what red flags homeowners should never ignore, and how a skilled DIYer can think like an electrician without crossing into unsafe territory.
The Early Warning Signs Most People Miss
One of the most overlooked indicators of bad electrical work is scorching or discoloration around outlets, switches, or inside the electrical panel itself. Barber explains that visible burn marks don’t usually come from sudden failures, but from long-term heat buildup.
“Scorching,” he explains, “means that electricity has been fighting its way through a poor connection. Those marks don’t usually come from a one-time flare. They’ve likely been building for years.”
Flickering lights are another sign homeowners tend to dismiss, especially when they happen during appliance startup. Barber pushes back on the idea that this is harmless.
“Lights flicker for a reason,” he says. “Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it because it’s an electric company or grid issue, but more often than not, it’s because of a loose neutral, an overloaded circuit, or a breaker that’s starting to fail.”
Then there’s frequent breaker tripping, which Barber calls one of the most misunderstood safety mechanisms in a home.
“Some of my clients will call and tell me that the problem is, ‘a breaker keeps tripping’ but what they don’t realize is that a breaker tripping isn’t the problem—it’s the solution,” he says. “When folks keep resetting a breaker without fixing the cause, they’re just resetting a safety device that’s trying to tell you that something is wrong.”
Looking at The Main Panel
When electricians assess a home, they typically start at the main electrical panel. Barber explains that when they check to see how well the panel is functioning, they don’t check its age, but rather, its suitability.
“A panel that was perfectly fine in 1985 is probably completely overwhelmed today,” he says. “Now-a-days, homes have things like EV chargers, larger HVAC systems, and way more electronics.” He emphasizes that amperage matters, but so does the physical condition of the panel. They should be dry, free of corrosion, properly labeled, and easily accessible.
“If you have to move a freezer or step around storage to reach the panel, that’s already a code violation and a safety issue,” Barber notes. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to climb over piles of junk to get to the main panel.” While homeowners can visually inspect for rust, moisture, or overcrowding, Barber is clear about electrical DIY limits.
“Taking the dead front off a panel is not DIY territory unless you’re trained. But anyone can notice stains, heat, buzzing, or mismatched breakers. And homeowners should be checking these things.”
Wiring and Connections
According to Barber, some of the most dangerous electrical problems are invisible until damage is already done, so it’s important to be proactive and not reactive. Loose connections, improperly torqued lugs, or poorly terminated wires create resistance that slowly degrades the electrical system.
“Electricity hates inconsistency,” he explains. “A connection that’s only 95% tight will still fail. That last 5% is where heat is generated.” He adds that many homes suffer from well-intentioned but poorly executed DIY or handyman work.
“I see a lot of ‘it worked, so I left it’ installations,” Barber says. “But electrical safety isn’t about whether it turns on—it’s about whether it will stay safe for the next 20 years and won’t like...burn your house down.”
Safety Devices
Modern safety devices like GFCIs and AFCIs are often or incorrectly installed or just straight up missing, even in recently remodeled homes. Barber says this is one of the most frustrating things he encounters on the job.
“People spend tens of thousands on kitchens and bathrooms and skip the $20 device that prevents electrocution,” he says. He stresses that these devices aren’t upgrades anymore—they’re baseline safety requirements. “If your home doesn’t have GFCI protection near water or AFCI protection in living spaces, it’s functionally behind current safety standards,” Barber explains. “Just spend the extra $20 and save yourself the headache of citations or potential disasters.”
Q&A: Thinking Like an Electrician as a Homeowner
What’s the biggest misconception homeowners have about electrical systems?
“That silence means safety,” Barber answers. “Electrical systems fail quietly. You have to check on them.”
“Visual inspections, replacing outlets with proper GFCIs, improving labeling, and correcting obvious code issues—as long as they understand the circuit and shut off power correctly.”
When should someone stop immediately and call a professional?
“Any burning smell, repeated breaker trips, buzzing panels, or aluminum wiring without proper connectors. Also, anything where you wonder ‘should I really be doing this?’ is usually another safe bet to go ahead and call a pro.”
The Takeaway
Barber’s final advice is simple but firm.
“I know most people aren’t idiots,” he laughs, “but homes don’t usually catch fire because people are stupid,” he says. “They catch fire because people get complacent or even go blind to some of the big red flags. I remember visiting my grandma one summer and seeing an exposed wire hanging down from her ceiling in the bathroom where an old ventilation fan used to be. And the vanity lights flickered constantly. She said it had always been like that, and she assumed the house was just old.” Barber explains that his grandma is a lot like other homeowners living in old houses—uninformed and complacent.
By paying attention to things like flickering lights, tripping breakers, and subtle heat or smell changes, homeowners can catch bad electrical work long before it becomes dangerous.
“Always call a professional if you’re not sure,” Barber says as his final sentiment. “That's what we’re here for. I promise, no electrician worth his salt will get annoyed at a ‘just in case’ call. Better safe than sorry.”
