Is It A Real Emergency? 5 Reasons To Call An Emergency Electrician | Colleyville, TX

3/9/2023

When it comes to electricity, you can never be too safe. There is a reason why most electricians recommend that homeowners not handle electrical repairs independently – because it’s dangerous. While electricity is how we all power our homes and our devices, it comes with its own set of risks. Fires and electrocution are two substantial risks that come with electrical problems, which is why you need to know when to call an emergency electrician. Not every electrical issue requires urgent attention, but a cautious approach to electricity is always the best choice.

As mentioned, if you are a homeowner, it is probably a better idea if you don’t attempt to handle your electrical issues. That said, not everything means that you need an emergency electrician. If you want to install a ceiling fan, you can schedule that and wait until an electrician is available. On the other hand, if your ceiling fan comes out of your ceiling and is hanging by the wires, that is a very different situation. While you are unlikely to find yourself in this exact situation (at least we hope), there are many other situations you might find yourself dealing with.

For that reason, we have created this simple guide that covers five of the top reasons you may need an emergency electrician. If you find yourself dealing with any of these situations, it is a clear sign that you need to call for some help. Whenever there is a safety risk involved with a situation, it is just not worth taking a chance. Not when help is only one quick phone call away.

Circuit Breakers Repeatedly Trip

First of all, if you are experiencing an issue with your circuit breaker box, you need to call an emergency electrician immediately to get to the bottom of this. It is usually evident this is an issue because your circuit breaker will continue to trip until you do something about it. Circuits are designed to trip when there is a power surge or when the demand on a circuit is too high overall so that there is no danger to your home.

The idea is to kill all of the electricity so that there is no danger of electrocution or damaged appliances. Of course, this also can protect your home from an electrical fire if a short is detected somewhere in your electrical system. It is not abnormal for a circuit breaker to trip every so once in a while, but if your circuit breaker continues to trip, this is a sign that you have an electrical emergency on your hands. Twice or more on the same day or a couple of times within a week is enough to warrant a call to an emergency electrician to figure out what is happening.

Burning Smells

Another sign of an electrical problem within your home is if you notice burning smells in your home. Burning smells usually are associated with electrical wiring, especially if there are no other explanations, such as a wood-burning fire outdoors. If you can isolate the smell to an area in your home, it is wise to turn off the circuit to reduce electrical current near the potential smoldering wire. Then you need to call an emergency electrician right away to come out and look at the problem.

If you cannot find the location of the issue, don’t worry. It is better not to waste time looking for it when you can be on the phone with a professional. This is the type of situation where it is best not to waste time because you want to get a professional emergency electrician out to your home right away to diagnose the problem. Panic won’t help you, but calling in someone who knows how to isolate electrical problems will.

Buzzing Noises

Another indication that something is going on with your electrical system is a buzzing noise. If you hear constant buzzing, there is a good chance that it is coming from smoldering wiring or an area that is short-circuiting. Unless you happen to breed bees, it is never a good sign to hear buzzing repeatedly. Instead of getting annoyed, you should call an emergency electrician to come out to your home to get to the bottom of the situation.

Warm Power Outlets

Another signal that it may be time to call an electrician in Texas is if you notice that your power outlets are warm to the touch. There is absolutely no good reason to explain why an outlet should be warm to the touch. The only reason that this happens is that there is a short behind the outlet or an exposed wire that is sparking and releasing heat. This is a major fire hazard and one that needs to be addressed right away. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of occasionally touching outlets that are not in use and/or fixtures to ensure you don’t have a problem under your nose.

Lights Keep Flickering

Finally, a big sign that something is wrong with your electrical system is flickering lights. Many people notice this happens when their HVAC system turns on or when they run a major appliance such as the stove or the microwave. When this happens, it indicates a power surge in your home or too much demand on a circuit. You need to call an emergency electrician before this system results in a short circuit which can be a dangerous situation.

Are you worried about an electrical problem in your home? Contact Buffalo Electric to get help from professional electricians.

See our most recent blog on this topic here.

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