Many of us only call an electrician when we have a project that requires their expertise and experience. Perhaps you’re installing new lighting in the kitchen, or you’re putting up a new ceiling fan in the bedroom. While calling in a professional during those times is smart, you will also find situations in which you need emergency electricians. What are those situations?
You Hear a Humming Sound from the Breaker Box
When you approach or open your breaker box, you should not hear any sounds. If you hear a humming or buzzing sound, it means that there is a dangerous situation occurring. It’s a sign that a breaker is trying to trip, and it is being blocked from doing so. If this situation continues, it could lead to a fire as resistance in the circuit builds up.
You Lose Power
Power outages are pretty common, and they’re becoming more so, particularly during the heat of summer when our demand for power from the grid is higher in order to cool our homes. However, if you lose power but it’s not because of an actual blackout, it’s time to call for the help of emergency electricians. If your neighbours still have power, then chances are good that the problem is isolated to your home, and it is not something that the power company will fix.
Smoke Coming from a Socket
The sockets around our home allow us to plug in devices and appliances – everything from your vacuum cleaner to your iPad must be plugged in from time to time. Those sockets should always be free and clear of threats. If you notice that a socket feels hot, or you see scorch marks around the socket, or if there is smoke coming from it, you need to call emergency electricians immediately.
You’ve Suffered a Lightning Strike
Lightning strikes to humans are relatively rare. However, they are not rare when it comes to residential power grids and homes. A direct hit from a bolt of lightning can have dangerous repercussions for your home’s wiring. Even an indirect hit, one that strikes the power lines nearby, could send excess voltage surging through your home, damaging appliances and devices and melting wires.
These are just four situations in which emergency electricians should be called. There are others – if you notice an appliance overheating, if you feel warmth at a light switch, or if you smell acrid smoke, call for professional help.
