Emergency Electrical

When Do You Call an Emergency Electrical Service?

Electrical issues can be scary, after all, they have the potential to actually cause a home fire. However, not every electrical issue is an emergency. There are many situations where you can wait for an electrician to come out and troubleshoot a problem. It is also cheaper usually if you can wait, as an emergency electrical service in Shallotte, NC is going to cost you more.

The following is a brief look at some of the situations when you should always call an emergency electrician. If one of these situations is occurring in your home, time is of the essence and it is a safety issue. Any time safety is involved, it is worth the call into an emergency electrical service.

There may be other issues that are not on this list as well, so be sure to use your own common sense and always err on the side of caution. Many times, if you are not sure, a simple call to an emergency electrician in Shallotte, NC can help settle your mind.

Humming or Buzzing from Your Breaker Box

It’s easy to ignore sounds that we get used to, but you should never ignore humming or buzzing that is coming from your breaker box. This is usually a signal that there is a faulty breaker in your box that is not tripping. It can also be a sign that there is old or faulty wiring in the box.

Either of these situations can be extremely dangerous and can cause a wide array of electrical failures. Even worse, if left unattended they can cause an electrical fire in your home. Thus, any sound from your breaker box always warrants a call to an emergency electrical service in Shallotte, NC.

Burning or Electrical Smells

Any electrical burning smell is very serious, and if you smell burning plastic you should not take it lightly. The burnt plastic smell can mean that there are damaged wires in your home that are smoking or melting the wire casing enough that you smell it. As you may know, smoldering wires can quickly turn into a full fledged fire that can spread through your home quickly.

Electrical fires are the number one cause of house fires. If you suspect that an electrical wire is melting, smoldering, or otherwise damaged you should shut the power off and immediately call an emergency electrical service.

Unexplained Loss of Power in Your Home

There are a lot of reasons why you may lose power in your home. Even an accident a couple miles away can cause the electricity in your home and neighborhood to go out. Before calling an emergency electrical service, you should call you Shallotte, NC electrical provider to see if they aware the power is out in your area. If they tell you that there is nothing wrong with your electrical service then you know the problem is inside of your home. At this point you will want to call an emergency electrical service to troubleshoot what is going on.

Continuous Electrical Issues

Sometimes things just happen. A circuit blows because you had too many appliances plugged in or a lamp simply doesn’t want to work. However, if you have been having the same issue with an appliance or light source for over an hour or off and on for days, it is time to call an electrical service. This is not always an emergency, but it could be depending on what exactly is happening. If sparks are flying then you should call an emergency electrical service. If the circuit is tripped you can probably turn it off and just wait for the morning.

Blackened Spots Around Home Outlets

A blackened or brown spot around an electrical outlet is never a good sign. This means that the outlets are overloaded and are getting too hot causing the area around it to burn. If you notice this immediately turn off the electricity to this area of your home and call an emergency electrical service. Any burnt wiring by the outlets is another indication that the area is overheating and can lead to a fire if you do not act quickly.

You Have a Flood in Your Home

If your home is flooded due to a busted pipe or cracked foundation you are probably rushing to find an emergency plumber in Shallotte, NC and not an emergency electrician. However, you should make an electrician the next call on your list.

Water can quickly cause damage to your electrical system and it is possible that you could be electrocuted if the current is live in the water. An electrician will know the proper way to shut off the electricity in your home safely, and can look for any nearby generators that could send stray power your way which would pose the same risk.

You do not want to enter your home again until the emergency electrical service gives you the okay, Once they do you can safely start to deal with the water damage. Once the water is removed the electrician can come back to repair damages to the electrical system and see if they can salvage some of the wiring to help reduce the repair costs.

Be aware however that water damage is usually quick and excessive. It does not take much water at all to ruin electrical components, so depending on the extent of flooding and whether it leaked through the roof or came up through the floor, you may be in for a large repair. At any rate, it is always best to be safe than sorry so do not test your electrical system until an electrician like Mister Sparky® of Myrtle Beach gives you the all clear.