What To Do During an Electrical Emergency at Home (Before the Electrician Arrives)
Electrical emergencies rarely happen during business hours. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes can prevent a fire and protect your family. Here is the guidance our emergency electrician dispatchers give every caller.
If you smell burning plastic or a fishy odor
That smell is overheated insulation. Turn off the breaker for the affected area, or the main breaker if you are not sure which one. Do not use the outlet or switch again until it has been inspected. Learn more about burning smell electrical repair repairs.
If an outlet is sparking or scorched
Unplug nothing while it is sparking. Switch the breaker off first, then unplug devices. Scorching means the outlet or wiring behind it has already been damaged and must be replaced. See sparking outlet repair.
If you see flames
Call 911 first. Never use water on an electrical fire. If you have a Class C or ABC extinguisher and the fire is small, use it. Otherwise get everyone out.
If the whole house loses power
Check whether neighbors are also dark. If they are, call the utility. If only your home is out, check the main breaker. If it will not reset or is warm, call our power outage electrician line.
If half the house loses power
Partial power with some lights unusually bright often means a lost neutral, which can destroy electronics within minutes. Turn off the main breaker and call us immediately.
If a breaker keeps tripping
Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off. Repeated resets can overheat wiring in the walls. Our breaker keeps tripping repair service finds the real cause.
If water has contacted outlets or the panel
Do not touch anything in the wet area. Shut off power at the main if you can reach it safely from a dry location, then call us.
If you hear buzzing from the panel
A buzzing panel means a loose or arcing connection. Keep your distance and call for same-day service.
Dab Electrical Services answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (888) 592-6466. Save the number now, before you need it.