How To Deal With An Electrical Emergency

Many individuals normally take electricity for granted. Even though it is an easy and an efficient way to power our businesses and homes, we should equally know its associated dangers. Electric shocks may result in anything from a small injury or pain to serious burns to heart failure or even death on most occasions. During an electrical emergency, it is essential to do the right thing, calmly and quickly. Many situations are arising from the regular use of electricity in your everyday life which can be classified as emergencies. So today in this particular post, we want to examine a few examples of electrical emergencies.


An always tripping circuit breaker.

A circuit breaker is designed to protect your home appliances or building from sudden spikes of electricity. Without circuit breakers, your dryer, microwaves well as other devices could potentially overload or quickly overheat and catch fire. When you have a regularly tripping circuit breaker, you could be in for serious problems. Replacing or repairing a malfunctioning circuit breaker can be very dangerous for the untrained homeowner like you. This means that you only seek the help of a professional and a licensed electrician Malvern who can properly restore normal operation or even install a newer version for a safer and more efficient use.

Knowing when to contact an electrician regarding a damaged circuit breaker can be confusing. In short, electrical problems like this cannot be solved with a simple trick! You’ll need to make a call to your local electrical contractor Melbourne when:

  • You can hear hissing, buzzing or even popping sounds from the breakers.
  • You can smell a burning substance from the breaker panel.
  • Your circuit breaker constantly trips, even after resetting it.
  • If your circuit breaker is hot to touch.
  • You can see visible damages such as frayed wires or burned metal.

A regularly tripping circuit breaker probably means that you have an overloaded circuit. Typically, this happens when your gadgets that use lots of energy such as screen TVs, space heaters and perhaps hair dryers are connected to the same circuit.


Electric shock.

On most occasions, an electric shock does not kill the affected individual immediately. In fact, it will only stop the heart, force muscles to contract, cause severe burns and even paralyse the breathing system. Often shock victims will not let go of the appliance which is transferring the current to the body. The question now becomes, what should you do when you experience an electric shock?

In the event of an electric shock, you should conduct the following:

  • If possible that there is no danger of you also being electrocuted, switch off your power source and remove the plug. If you are unable to turn it off, use heavy duty insulating gloves or anything made of rubber, curved dry wood or a dry cloth to free the electrocuted individual.
  • You should not physically touch the shock victim’s body until the current is safely turned off.
  • You should never try to rescue a person in instances where a high voltage of electrical current is involved.
  • Seek immediate attention for the affected victim.

It is imperative to note that the injuries and the fatalities caused by electric shocks can typically be prevented by installing safety switches in properties and homes in general. If you didn’t know, a safety switch monitors the flow of electric current through a circuit. It can detect a potential immediately the current leaves the circuit, turning the power off within a matter of seconds.

Evidently, that’s quick enough to save your life and can as well help prevent costly damages and fires to your apartment.


Power outages.

Blackouts or power outages can occur as a result of various problems. However, the storm is perhaps the most common cause. High and intense winds can cause the trees to fall across power lines thereby interrupting the regular supply of electricity. In the event of a power failure, you should turn off all your cooling and heating appliances such as iron, stove, heaters as well as your air conditioners. Also, you should turn off your DVD player, TVs computer plus any other electrical appliances. Finally, you should contact your local qualified electrical contractors and let them know that your power has experienced an outage.

Bearing in mind that power outages commonly occur at any time and will find you unawares, arrangements should be put in place so as to ensure that your cooking activity is not compromised. As a result, an alternative heating and cooking appliances must be established. Some gas appliances normally require electricity to operate. This implies that you should always ensure that gas connections on your portable devices are maintained in good working conditions. Again, you should consider a backup power supply if you are over-reliant on electricity.


The Bottom Line.

It is necessary for you to have a certified electrician examine all the wiring and appliances in your home during an electrical emergency. Again, it is critical to have a chemical fire extinguisher at your disposal, especially in your kitchen. This will make it easier for you to handle any electrical emergency issues, especially fire outbreaks.