Every home can have an occasional electrical issue. A circuit breaker is tripped when you plug in the holiday decorations. A light fixture is flickering for no apparent reason. An outlet or series of outlets no longer has power. The difficult question for Auburn, Opelika, and Montgomery, AL homeowners is when is it time to call in an emergency electrician? Dixie Electric, Plumbing & Air has some suggestions to help.
Your Home Floods
Whether it’s a weather event or a burst pipe, flooding is a good reason to call in an electrician. Water can damage the electrical system and cause a potentially life-threatening situation when you try to clean up the mess left behind. Play it safe. The emergency electrician can shut off all the power to your home. Only after the electrician says everything is safe should you enter the home to clean up the damage. Additionally, the electrician should inspect the entire system to determine any damage caused by the flood. It’s possible much of the electrical system will have to be replaced.
Hot or smoking outlets
Don’t mess around with a faulty outlet. If an outlet feels hot or you see smoke, sparks, or flame you must act quickly. Safety always comes first. Dixie recommends you call 911 if you see smoke or flames. When it’s okay to go back in the house you should contact an emergency electrician to replace any damaged outlets and wiring and determine what went wrong in the first place.
Humming or buzzing sounds
Do not treat strange sounds from switches, lights, and outlets as a minor annoyance. Humming and buzzing can indicate a potentially dangerous issue that needs to be addressed immediately. Some possible causes are:
- Wiring improperly grounded because of loose connections or bad installation
- Overloaded outlets
- Humming from a circuit breaker could mean a loose wire or overloaded circuit
Your Lights Go Out
If you are sitting in the dark, but you can tell your neighbors have electricity, you should first contact your electric utility company. If they can’t find an issue outside the home, then you will need to call an emergency electrician to find out what went wrong. The first priority will be determining what caused the power to go out and if the problem is confined to a single area? Or are there more serious problems that need to be fixed.
Don’t hesitate to call
Electrical problems are nothing to take lightly. If you have any concerns about the safety of your Auburn, Opelika, or Montgomery, AL home please call Dixie Electric, Plumbing & Air to determine if you need the services of an emergency electrician. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more great safety information.
