Have you ever turned on an appliance only to notice a dimming of the lights? Do you often have brownouts when others in the neighborhood don’t, or tripped breakers for no apparent reason? All these things could be a symptom of an electrical system that needs repairs or replacement. Many older houses might not be wired the way they need to be to meet today’s demands. Sometimes, the issues can be resolved by making sure that major appliances aren’t running on the same circuits, but this is not always enough.
Of course, the problem could be an appliance that is malfunctioning, and if this is the case, it might be worth it to leave the appliance unplugged and then check to see if you are still experiencing issues. If you don’t experience any problems after unplugging the appliance, you should have the appliance replaced or repaired as soon as possible. If there is no obvious culprit, consulting an electrician is your safest bet, since they have the tools and expertise needed to figure out where the problem lies.