Emergency electrician
Power gone, breaker will not stay on, or something smells like it is burning? Do not poke at it. Call and talk to a licensed electrician who will tell you straight away whether it can wait until morning or needs someone there now.
Then turn the power off at the main switch on the switchboard, but only if you can reach it safely. Do not touch anything wet. Do not go near fallen powerlines, stay well clear and call the network.
What we get called out for
- No power to part or all of the house. First job is working out whether it is your side of the meter or a network outage.
- Safety switch tripping and will not reset. It found a fault. It is doing its job. Something needs finding.
- Burning smell, buzzing, or scorch marks. At a power point, a switch, a light fitting, or the board itself. Treat this as urgent.
- Sparking outlets or switches. Stop using that circuit and call.
- Hot power points or plugs. Warm is a warning sign. Hot is a problem.
- Storm and water damage. Water through a ceiling near downlights, or into the board.
- Hot water or oven suddenly dead. Usually a failed element or a circuit fault, easy enough to diagnose.
Two checks before you call
These take thirty seconds and can save you a callout fee.
Is the whole street out?
Look at the neighbours. If the street is dark it is a network outage and Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy is dealing with it. Nothing an electrician can fix from your side.
Is it one circuit or everything?
Open the switchboard and look for a breaker or safety switch flipped down. Unplug whatever was running on that circuit and try resetting it once. If it holds, you have found the appliance causing it. If it trips again straight away, leave it off and call.
It tripped because it detected current going somewhere it should not, which often means water or a person. Forcing it back on again and again is how a small fault turns into a serious one.
What happens when you call
- You talk to the electrician, not a call centre or a booking service
- A few questions, then an honest answer on whether it is urgent or can wait until morning
- The callout rate up front, before anyone gets in the van
- The fault found and explained, and a price to fix it before work starts
- If it is a make-safe tonight and a proper repair later, you are told that too
Common questions
What counts as an electrical emergency?
A burning smell, smoke, sparking, a hot power point or switch, exposed wiring, a safety switch that will not stay on, or water through electrical fittings. Any of those, turn the power off at the board if it is safe to do so, and call an electrician.
My safety switch keeps tripping. What do I do?
A safety switch trips because it found a fault. Unplug everything on that circuit and try resetting it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call. Repeatedly resetting a tripping safety switch is how a small fault becomes a fire.
Is the whole street out, or just me?
Check whether the neighbours have power. If the whole street is out it is a network outage and Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy handles it. If it is only your place, it is on your side of the meter and that is our job.
Do you charge more for after-hours?
After-hours callouts cost more than a booked weekday job. You get the rate on the phone before we come out, so you can decide whether it needs doing tonight or can wait until morning. No pressure either way.
Can you fix it on the spot?
Most of the time, yes. If a part needs ordering we make the situation safe, get power back where we can, and return to finish it properly.