Energy Efficient Electrical Designs for New Homes

When You Need to Call an Emergency Electrician

19 April 2016

Kimberly Garrett

You may know that when your home shows signs of faulty wiring, you should call an electrician soon, but what about emergency assistance? There are some situations where it can't wait until Monday and you need to call them immediately. Here are some different occasions when calling an emergency electrician is a good idea.

An Outlet or Socket is Warm or Smoking

Your outlets, switches, and sockets can tell you a lot about the condition of the electrical wiring in your home. While an occasional flicker can probably be put off until the next workday as long as it isn't used, there are other things that require emergency help. For example, if you touch an outlet or switchplate and it feels hot to the touch, there is a major problem with your wiring that could possibly be a fire hazard. You should also call an electrician right away if the outlet continues to spark multiple times and especially if there is smoke coming out of it. Also call an electrician if it looks darkened and burned.

You Have Wires in Contact With Water

If you previously had a flood in your home, you might have some wiring or appliances that are sitting in or underneath water. This is an emergency situation and one you should not attempt to remedy on your own. Don't go anywhere near the area, making sure you don't touch the water, wires, or appliances that are affected, keep everyone in your household away from the area and call for emergency assistance. The electrician will safely disconnect the electricity in your home and will let you know when it is safe to use the power again.

There Are Exposed Wires

Another emergency situation is when you see any exposed wires. This could potentially be a cause for electrocution or become a fire hazard. For example, you might have a hole in the wall above an outlet and notice some wires that are clearly visible and exposed. In this case, while it seems minor, it is still a good idea to call an electrician. You might also have damaged or exposed wires due to a DIY installation that went wrong. In either case, make sure you at least call an electrician to ask them how to handle the situation. They might recommend a temporary patch job until they can make it out, or they may recommend coming out immediately to reduce the risk of an electrical hazard.

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