Have your lights suddenly stopped working? Is your microwave not heating up or is your refrigerator not cooling? If you’re experiencing any of these problems, then it may be time to call an emergency electrician.

While the thought of calling a professional can be scary and overwhelming, there are some situations when you should contact one immediately. We have compiled 6 signs that you can use to determine when you need to contact an emergency electrician. Let’s dive in!

1.  Smell of burning plastic

If you smell an acrid odour coming from your electrical system, or similar electrical warning signs, the first thing to do is turn off the power to that circuit. Then, call an electrician.

If you have a burnt plastic smell in your home, there could be a problem with one of your circuits or appliances. In most cases, it’s caused by shorts and loose connections in the wires. Short circuits can occur when there is too much current flowing through a single wire — this can happen if two wires are touching each other at their ends or if they’re frayed near their ends. The result? Instant fire!

If this happens, don’t try to fix it yourself — call an electrician instead!

2.  Sparking or broken outlets and wires

If you see sparks or broken outlets, it could be a sign of a short circuit. If the outlet is sparking and is in good condition, it could be that the fuse has blown out. If the outlet is sparking and looks like it’s on fire, then you may have tripped your circuit breaker by using too much electrical power at once — or there may be an issue with your wiring that requires immediate attention from an electrician.

If you notice any of these signs during a lightning storm, opt for emergency electricians’ support immediately because this could mean that lightning has struck nearby.

3.  Dead outlets

Is your outlet dead? Follow these steps, before you hurry to call an electrician:

• Check the circuit breaker. Sometimes, a circuit will trip, which means that it shuts off all power to that part of the house. If this is what happened, resetting it should restore electricity to those outlets.
• Make sure there are no loose wires in the outlet itself. If you notice any loose or broken wires, call an electrician immediately. It could be a sign that there’s more serious damage in need of repair and preventative measures should be taken as soon as possible so further problems don’t occur down the line.
• Check for damaged wiring around each outlet by removing cover plates (or screws) and examining them carefully for signs of damage such as burns or discolouration at points where wires enter into their sockets. The best recommendation anyone could provide is to contact a professional as soon as something feels off so they can determine whether something needs to be replaced before potential fire threats become more serious issues down the road.

4.  Loose outlets and switches

Loose outlets and switches can be dangerous. You should check your outlets regularly to make sure they’re tight. If you notice that any of the wires in your wall are loose, or if there’s a crack in the outlet, it’s time to call an electrician immediately.

Do not attempt to fix loose outlets yourself — this could cause a fire hazard or electrocution. The only way to ensure these serious issues don’t happen is by hiring a professional electrician who knows how to conduct proper electrical wiring repairs.

5.  Flickering lights when an appliance is running

If you experience flickering lights when an appliance is running, it’s likely that the issue is related to your electrical system. Some home electrical issues are minor and can be fixed by the homeowner, while others require professional assistance from a licensed electrician.

In most cases, flickering lights indicate that there’s an imbalance between the amount of power being consumed by your home appliances and what’s being produced by your electrical system.

This can happen for several reasons:

• A bad breaker or fuse has tripped in your main circuit panel.
• Overheated wiring has caused fuses to blow repeatedly.
• A problem with the power supply itself (such as a lack of voltage) may be causing flickering lights.

6.  No power to a specific room or appliance

Check the electrical panel. If you have a circuit breaker panel, check to see if any of the breakers are tripped. To do this, turn off all power at the main switch and then flip each breaker back on in order to reset it. If none of them is tripped, then you may want to contact an electrician because there could be faulty wiring or faulty electrical equipment that needs to be replaced or serviced.

If your fuse box has individual fuses instead of circuit breakers, inspect those as well for signs of burnout or failure (melted plastic).

The best way to handle an emergency electrical repair

If you have experienced a problem with your electrical system, it is best to call an emergency electrician support immediately. Do not try to fix the issue yourself or attempt any makeshift repairs that might cause further damage and potentially be dangerous. There are many reasons why this is the case, but one of the most important ones is that you do not know what you are doing.

It is impossible for someone like myself (who knows how electricity works) to describe it to someone who does not understand how to diagnose issues with electronics and power lines, especially if you don’t know what kind of power lines are going through your home or office building. In other words — if something goes wrong with your house’s wiring system, don’t try anything else! Call an electrician ASAP!

Conclusion

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s time to call an emergency electrician. Don’t put it off or expect things to get better on their own. An electrical problem can quickly turn into a major fire hazard if left unchecked for too long, which is why calling in someone who knows what they are doing right now is so important.