Emergency Electrician Rockingham

What is an Electrical Emergency?

An electrical emergency happens due to various factors that result in electrical shocks or fires, which may include:

1. Faulty wiring

When you have darkened switches or outlets that look charred, these may be signs of faulty wiring. Also, be wary of flickering lights or frequently blown fuses.

2. Electrical appliances near water

Any electrical device near water can lead to electrical shock.

3. Damaged or exposed cords

This includes electrical tools and appliances with unsafe cords or plugs.

4. Defective electrical appliances

Continuing to use defective devices increases your risk for an electrical emergency.

Steps to take in an Electrical Emergency

Remember to always stay calm and be prepared. You'll need: (1) on-hand fire extinguishers, (2) and emergency contact numbers at all times.

During extreme emergencies, here are safety measures to take, in case of specific electrical accidents.

A. Electrical Shock from Appliances

Home appliances are the number one cause of electrical fires. Here's what to do when that happens:

1. Do not make contact with the person who has received an electrical shock.
2. Safely unplug the appliance; turn off the main power switch.
3. Seek emergency services and an ambulance.
4. Keep the injured person lying down until medical help arrives.

B. Fires Caused by Electrical Appliances

Faulty wiring near flammable objects can cause electrical fires. Follow these steps if a fire breaks out:

1. Call the fire brigade at once. Contact an ambulance next if someone has been injured.
2. Do not attempt to douse water on electrical fires so as not to fuel it further.
3. If you know how to use a fire extinguisher, use one that's available onsite. Otherwise, quickly leave.

FAQs

1. What to do if my breaker box is making a humming or buzzing sound?

Your breaker box is a protective system that controls electricity distribution on your premises through a series of wires and breakers.

When your breaker box makes a crackling, buzzing, or humming sound, one of the circuit breakers is not performing as it should. The circuit begins to burn due to overloading, resulting in buzzing and humming sounds.

Overloaded breaker boxes that do not halt or 'trip' are a shock and fire hazard. Stop using any currently plugged-in appliances, don't turn anything on, and call an emergency electrician immediately away.

2. What to do when my circuit breaker trips?

Circuit breakers trip when there are electrical faults that could damage the circuit. These include thermal overloads, short circuits, and ground faults.

To reset a tripped circuit breaker, start by turning off the breaker by sliding the switch or handle to the 'off' position, then turn it back on. Sometimes breakers spark when moved, so wear safety goggles or step aside when you switch them off.

3. What does it mean when there is a brown stain around an electrical outlet?

Brown stains are burn marks, and such marks or smoke around your outlets are major red flags of a fire safety risk. They are signs of overloaded circuits.

When appliances draw too much power from an outlet, it causes overheating, which can cause catastrophic damage to your walls and devices. They might even start a fire.

Avoid touching the outlet, and don't plug anything into it if this happens. Check all other outlets for the same signs, then call an emergency electrician to fix the problem to ensure your safety.

4. What to do if an electrical outlet gets wet?

The best way to stay safe is to take preventative action by waterproofing your sockets. This can be done by sealing the edges of your mounts. It would be best to keep sockets plugged when not in use to stop water from getting in.

If the worst happens and water gets into your electrical outlets, don't wait for it to dry out. Instead, turn off the GFCI Outlet. After that, turn off the breaker box and try to dry the outlet.

In extreme instances, such as floods, you should hire a licensed electrician like Coastal Electrics to assess the damage and perform repairs.

5. What do I do when my safety switch keeps tripping?

Find the safety switch. Check to see if the safety switch or any circuit breakers are set to 'OFF' or 'DOWN'. If that's the case, one of them has tripped. It's now a case of elimination to figure out what is causing the problem.

Talk to your local electricity provider if they're all 'ON,' but the power and lights are still out. In case it keeps tripping, disconnect the last appliance used.

If everything works after resetting the safety switch/circuit breaker, the disconnected appliance should not be used again until an electrician examines the situation. If the safety switch continues to trip, you must unplug all appliances.

Reset the switch and plug each appliance back in one by one until you find the one that isn't working. If, after going through this method, the cause of the problem is still unknown, the situation will need to be assessed by a certified electrician such as Coastal Electrics.

After Hours Emergency Electrician

If you want to protect your home or business from electrical emergencies, Coastal Electrics is here to help! Contact Coastal Electrics we offer 24-hour electrical support in Rockingham. Call (08) 9527 1509.