February 18, 2021
Energy Consumption in Spokane, Washington

Updated 4/3/2024

High humidity in your Spokane, WA, home doesn’t just affect your comfort. It can wreak havoc on your wood furnishings, paper, and cardboard items, and even your electrical system. Consider these four ways humidity can lead to electrical problems in your home.

1. Degraded Insulation

Excess moisture can degrade the insulation around your home’s wiring. Degraded insulation allows the heat from the flow of electricity to spread where it shouldn’t be. If the wiring overheats, it could start an electrical fire.

Degraded insulation is becoming an increasingly common cause of power system failures, learn more here.

2. Corroded Outlets

High humidity could lead to corrosion of outlets and switches. This happens in rooms with frequent high humidity, such as the bathroom and kitchen. On a perimeter wall that is poorly insulated, moisture can condense and drip into the outlet. Over time, this will cause the outlet’s contacts to corrode.

3. Rusted Fuses or Circuits

High humidity could cause the fuses in your fuse box to rust. If they rust in the “on” position and an appliance draws too much current or a power surge affects your home, this could result in major electrical damage. The circuit breaker could also develop corrosion. A circuit that gets stuck in the “on” position could allow too much current to flow through your wiring or into an appliance. This could cause damage or a fire.

4. Short-Circuiting or Arcing

If you try to use an appliance with corroded prongs on its plug, it may short circuit. If you attempt to plug in an item with rusted prongs, it may arc. Moisture that gets into the outlet or that drips from saturated insulation could also lead to arcing. This situation is most common in poorly ventilated areas of a home, such as an attic or a basement.

At NORCO Heating & Air Conditioning, we’re the trusted providers of electrical inspections and repairs. We also offer electrical installations. Homeowners also count on us for heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair and replacement services. For more information on the ways high humidity can affect your home’s electrical system, get in touch with us at NORCO Heating & Air Conditioning today.

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