It is common to encounter problems with your electricity from time to time, and as soon as this happens, it tends to make people panic. Sometimes it is simply just an inconvenience and requires a simple fix, however other times, it can actually present dangers, which is why you must seek professional help as soon as you notice a problem.
Be prepared
You never know when an electrical emergency could take place, so it’s always good to be prepared. This can be as simple as having an easily accessible list of phone numbers for electricians kept somewhere, so that if anything does happen, you can contact a professional immediately.
Electrical problems can come at all sorts of different scales, they can simply be withdrawn access to your electricity, or even something as dangerous as a fire. In this case you should be prepared on how to act, for example, never using water to put out an electrical fire, and having things stored in your house such as a fire blanket or extinguisher.
Getting power restored
The more common type of electrical emergencies are those where all power is cut out. This is experienced a lot more frequently than the problems that present more danger. However, it still causes a huge inconvenience and requires the help of an electrician as soon as possible. They can be caused by all sorts, from bad weather, or simply just a failure somewhere in your power supply.
When you experience a loss of power in your home, you should at first check that it’s not just that something has tripped. If you are unable to fix the problem yourself, this will indicate that the problem is bigger and requires the attention of a professional. As mentioned above, being prepared also falls into place here, too, as you could have things like back up lighting and portable chargers in preparation for loss of power. If this is to happen, you should switch off all appliances, too, and contact the relevant sources to find out if it is a power cut across your area or if it is a direct problem in your house.
Staying safe
In more severe electrical emergencies, such as electrical fires of electric shocks, you must deal with the situation as safely and calmly as possible. One of the first things we advise is switching off all power. If for example somebody is electrocuted, you must refrain from touching them as this causes risk of you being shocked as well. Furthermore, you should stay away from the source of the electrocution, safely remove the person from it, and call for immediate help.
The same goes for electrical fires. Switch off all power completely if you have easy access to it, and do not let water come into contact with the fire. Use an extinguisher or fire blanket and call for help as soon as you can.
If you would like to know more or are in need of some professional advice, we would be more than happy to help. Simply get in touch with us via our contact page and we will offer our help and guidance where needed.