A blown light globe can usually wait. Sparks coming from a power point? That is your house being a little less subtle.
An electrical emergency can range from a sudden loss of power to burning smells, electric shocks, sparking outlets or electrical equipment getting wet. The tricky part is knowing what can wait and what needs attention now.
Generally, if you notice sparks, smoke, burning smells, electric shocks, unusual heat or anything that could put someone at risk, stop using the affected equipment and call a licensed electrician. If there is an immediate threat to life or a fire, call 000.
What Counts as an Electrical Emergency?
An electrical emergency is a fault or incident that creates an immediate safety risk, could cause further damage or leaves an essential part of your property without power.
Warning signs can include:
- Sparks from a power point, switch or appliance
- A burning or melting plastic smell
- Smoke coming from electrical equipment
- Power points or switches becoming unusually hot
- Safety switches or circuit breakers repeatedly tripping
- Buzzing or crackling sounds
- Electric shocks or tingles
- Exposed or damaged wiring
- Water near electrical equipment
- Complete or partial loss of power
- Storm or impact damage involving electrical equipment
If you are not sure whether the problem is dangerous, do not start pulling things apart for a closer look. Electricity is not known for rewarding curiosity. Call a licensed electrician.
Sparks Coming From a Power Point
A sparking power point should not be ignored, especially if it happens repeatedly or comes with other warning signs. Stop using the outlet if you notice:
- Large or repeated sparks
- Black or scorch marks
- A burning smell
- Crackling or buzzing
- Unusual heat
- A loose or damaged power point
Do not remove the cover or attempt to repair the wiring yourself. This is not the time for a screwdriver, YouTube and unreasonable confidence.
An electrician can inspect the outlet and determine whether the fault is isolated to the power point or part of a larger electrical problem.
What Does an Electrical Burning Smell Mean?
If your home suddenly smells like burning plastic or overheated electrical equipment, take it seriously. The smell could be coming from:
- A damaged power point
- Electrical wiring
- An appliance
- A light fitting
- The switchboard
- An overloaded or failing electrical component
You may also notice smoke, discolouration, buzzing or unusual heat. Stop using the affected equipment and arrange for an electrician to inspect it. If there is smoke or fire, get to a safe place and call 000.
A burning smell is not something to put on the “I will see if it goes away” list.
Why Does My Safety Switch Keep Tripping?
A safety switch or circuit breaker tripping once does not automatically mean you have a major electrical emergency. If it keeps tripping, something needs attention. Possible causes include:
- A faulty appliance
- Damaged wiring
- Water entering electrical equipment
- A faulty power point
- An overloaded circuit
- A problem with an oven or hot water system
- Another electrical fault on the circuit
If the power trips whenever you turn on a particular appliance, stop using it. If the breaker refuses to stay on, stop resetting it. Playing switchboard whack-a-mole is not electrical fault finding. Get the cause checked properly.
What If Half the House Has Lost Power?
If some parts of your home have power while others do not, there could be a fault affecting one electrical circuit. You might notice:
- Lights working but power points not working
- One section of the home without power
- The oven suddenly not working
- The hot water system losing power
- A safety switch that has tripped
- Power cutting in and out unexpectedly
You can visually check the switchboard to see whether a breaker or safety switch has operated. If it trips again, you smell burning or you cannot work out why it happened, arrange for an electrician to investigate. Your switchboard generally is not doing it just to annoy you.
The Whole House Has Lost Power. Do I Need an Electrician?
Not necessarily. First, check whether neighbouring homes or streetlights have also lost power. If half the street is dark, the problem may be with the electricity network rather than anything inside your home.
If everyone around you has power and your house looks like it has entered the Dark Ages, the fault may be within your property. If power has been restored to the area but your home is still without electricity, it is worth getting the property checked.
Water Near Power Points or Electrical Equipment
Water and electricity are a terrible combination. A plumbing problem can quickly become an electrical emergency if water reaches:
- Power points
- Electrical appliances
- Light fittings
- Wiring
- Switchboards
- Hot water electrical components
If water is leaking near electrical equipment, stay away from the affected area and avoid touching anything wet.
This is also where GA PERRY’s combination of plumbing and electrical services becomes particularly handy. If a burst pipe or leaking hot water system has reached electrical equipment, you may have both a plumbing problem and an electrical problem. Two problems. One phone call is considerably nicer.
Electric Shock or Tingle
If someone receives an electric shock, do not assume everything is fine because it seemed minor. Electrical shocks and tingles should be taken seriously.
If someone is still in contact with an electrical current, do not touch them and put yourself at risk. For a life-threatening emergency, call 000.
Shocks or tingles involving taps, appliances or other parts of the property can indicate an electrical fault that needs urgent investigation. No jokes here. Get it checked.
What About Fallen or Damaged Powerlines?
A fallen or damaged powerline is different from an electrical fault inside your home. Do not approach it.
Keep well clear of damaged electrical network equipment and contact Western Power to report the problem. If somebody is in immediate danger, call 000.
Fallen powerlines are very firmly in the category of look, do not touch, and stay away.
When Can an Electrical Problem Wait?
Not every electrical issue needs an emergency call-out. Problems that may be suitable for a normal appointment include:
- A single blown light globe
- A broken light fitting that has been safely switched off
- An unused power point with no signs of damage or heat
- A minor appliance issue with no signs of an electrical hazard
- Planned upgrades or new electrical installations
That changes if you notice:
- Heat
- Sparks
- Smoke
- Burning smells
- Shocks
- Repeated electrical faults
Those are not “get to it next month” symptoms.
What Should You Tell the Electrician?
When you call, give the electrician a quick rundown of what has happened. Useful information includes:
- What stopped working
- When the problem started
- Whether the whole property or only part of it has lost power
- Whether a safety switch or breaker has tripped
- Whether you can smell burning
- Whether you have seen sparks or smoke
- Whether anything feels unusually hot
- Whether water is involved
- Whether anyone has received an electric shock
- What was being used when the fault occurred
You do not need to diagnose it yourself. “Something sparked, the power went out and now it smells weird” is considerably more useful than pulling half the power point apart before we arrive.
What Should You Do While Waiting for an Electrician?
The priority during an electrical emergency is keeping everyone safe, not seeing whether you can fix it yourself. Depending on the situation:
- Stop using the affected appliance or power point
- Keep children and pets away
- Do not touch exposed wiring
- Stay away from electrical equipment affected by water
- Do not repeatedly reset a breaker that keeps tripping
- Do not remove electrical covers
- Do not attempt wiring repairs yourself
A trip to Bunnings does not automatically come with an electrical licence. If there is a fire or an immediate threat to life, call 000.
Dealing With an Electrical Emergency in Perth?
If you have sparks, burning smells, power problems, repeated tripping or another urgent electrical fault, getting it checked early can stop the problem becoming considerably more expensive or dangerous.
GA PERRY provides electrical, plumbing, gas and hot water services across Perth, which is particularly useful when a problem crosses between more than one trade. Whether you have a power fault, an oven tripping the circuit, water near electrical equipment or something that simply does not look, smell or sound right, GA PERRY can investigate what is going on.
Dealing with an electrical emergency? Contact GA PERRY before your house starts dropping any more hints.
