Home Emergencies Requiring An Emergency Electrician | Wilmington, NC
Most people take for granted the electricity used in their homes. That is true until an emergency occurs and power is out. Most of the time, we give no thought to the electrical service we have. Problems can crop up, however, and electrical emergencies will inevitably occur. When they do, you will need to contact a trusted emergency electrician.
A number of circumstances can cause electrical emergencies. The homeowner needs to understand what to look out for with their residential electrical system regarding electrical emergencies and how to deal with them.
Here are half a dozen common electrical emergencies that can affect your home or business. Each of these can be effectively handled by an emergency electrician.
An Electrical Fire
An electrical fire can be caused by a variety of things including faulty wiring, a compromised circuit breaker box, or some other issue. Immediately contact your utility provider and have them cut off the power. Continued power service can only make matters worse than they are until the fire is out. Once that is taken care of, have an emergency electrician evaluate your home electrical system for the root cause of the fire.
Although not all electrical fires can be avoided, using common sense can help you better avoid them. Don’t overcrowd your outlets. Replace old and poorly functioning appliances. Also, try to use products from reputable brands.
A Power Outage
One of the most common types of electrical emergencies is a power outage. They can occur for a variety of reasons. A severe storm, an automobile accident, or an earthquake could knock out a power line, rendering your home completely without electricity right away.
An outage has the potential to be hazardous. Make sure that the main heating and cooling appliances that are connected to the circuit breaker are turned off in the event of a power outage. When your electricity comes back on, a power surge, which can cause a fire or shock, can be avoided by doing this.
Your circuit breaker itself may be to blame for your power outage if there isn’t a downed power line. It could have faulty wiring or be overloaded. If so, you should think about contacting an emergency electrician in Wilmington, NC.
Problems with the Breaker Box
You may have a serious issue if your breaker box, which normally doesn’t make noise, starts to produce unusual sounds. On a circuit breaker, it’s normal to hear a small, constant hum. However, an emergency exists if it is louder than usual or if you hear crackling or sizzling. The system may be overloaded in this situation and this clearly presents a real fire hazard.
The circuit breaker should not be touched. Instead, call an emergency electrician in Wilmington, NC.
Burnt Out Electrical Outlets
Most people are unaware that burned outlets pose a significant threat to your safety. Numerous individuals accidentally touch burned outlets, only to be shocked.
If you notice burn marks or smoke coming from your outlet, you should never touch it. If you need to unplug something from it, you should always wear non-conductive protection and never plug anything in afterward.
Burnt outlets are usually the result of an electrical overload caused by having too many things plugged in. Don’t use an adapter with a higher power rating unless you know ahead of time how many watts your outlets have.
Burned outlets can’t be fixed by those folks without electrical repair skills. This problem needs to be addressed by a professional emergency electrician.
Lights That Flicker or Turn Off and On by Themselves
Have you ever been in a room and noticed that your lights went out for a split second or even longer before returning to normal? If you have, this could be a bigger threat than you think.
If it occurs infrequently, it may indicate that one or more of your heating and cooling systems recently activated, resulting in a temporary decrease in light. This is not a problem.
However, if this occurs frequently, it may indicate either compromised wiring or an overloaded circuit. A local emergency electrician should immediately be contacted.
Electrical Shocks
It is possible for you or someone you know to come into direct contact with electricity due to exposed wires or faulty outlets. This could cause severe injury or even be fatal. In the event of an electric shock, immediately disconnect the power supply and call emergency services.
A person who is receiving an electrical shock should not be touched. To free them from the conductive object or area, use a non-conductive tool like a stick made of plastic or wood. If you have the skill, give them CPR once they are not in contact with the conductive object.
Obviously, the most important concern is the welfare of the injured person. After that, it is a good idea to have an emergency electrician look over your electrical system for the cause.
Signs That an Electrical Emergency May Be Imminent
Being aware that something is not normal can often tip you off that an electrical emergency is likely to occur. Here are a few things to be aware of:
- Sparks coming from outlets
- A new burning-like odor
- Continued blowing out of fuses
- Frayed electrical wiring.
Each of these indicates that remedial action should be taken before an emergency occurs.
Some electrical emergencies happen suddenly. In other cases, the warning signs are present before an actual emergency arises. In either case, call a local professional emergency electrician right away.
Mister Sparky of Wilmington is your best bet when an electrical emergency arises. They have the skills, tools, and local expertise to help you resolve your emergency quickly and efficiently. Call them if an electrical problem arises in your Wilmington, NC home.
See our previous blog post here!