Do you need an Emergency Electrician?
There is never a convenient time to have an electrical emergency …
Statistics show every year in Australia, around 300 people are hospitalised and 15 people die as a direct result of electrical accidents in the home. Many injuries occur through direct contact with exposed cables, live wires, faulty appliances, short circuits and unsafe wiring installations. These electrical hazards can lead to potentially dangerous situations which can very much be life threatening.
Electrical emergencies can take place at any time including after hours and on weekends. These need to be addressed as soon as possible not only to restore the operations of your electrical system but more importantly to prevent electrical hazards from arising. There are only a small number of electricians that operate 24/7 in Sydney and we are one of them.
Blown Fuse
A fuse is a electrical component designed to protect an electrical circuit by safely opening the circuit under abnormal high current loads. A fuse contains a bi-metal element wire which is designed to break when short circuit or overloads occur. Very well known as the blown fuse.
A blown fuse will need to be repaired as soon as possible and the cause of failure will need to be known through a process of electrical tests. Always ensure to use a licensed and insured electrician to change a fuse.
What not to do
- Never replace a fuse of higher amperage than the blown fuse. This can cause excessive damage to your wiring, appliances and devices which may lead to a house
- Don’t attempt to change a fuse if the surface area is wet. This could lead to electric shock causing injury or even death.
Safety Switch Tripping
One of the most important pieces of electrical equipment you can have installed in your home or business is the electrical safety switch, more commonly known as Residual Current Device [RCD]. A safety switch is a device that automatically and rapidly shuts your electricity off if an electrical fault has been detected. This will deter the risk of electrical fires, electrical shock, injury or even death.
When a safety switch fails, it has identified that something is not quite right within the electrical circuit. A safety switch that trips has just protected you and others from electric shock and saved your household appliances or device. These kind of faults are known as Overloading or Short Circuits.
Australian law states, safety switches must be installed in new homes or businessess for each individual circuit.
Common Faults on Safety Switches
- Faulty or damaged appliances
- Damaged cabling
- Nuisance tripping
- Bad weather
- Defective safety switch
How To Avoid Over-Loading
- Move plug-in appliances to a circuit that is not often used and has plenty of remaining amperage, for example, move high load appliances such as microwaves, kettles, toasters and rice cookers.
- Reduce lighting loads by replacing incandescent or halogen lamps with the energy efficient LED globes.
- Install additional circuits for high demanding appliances, for example the kitchen area
- Never turn on too many appliances at once.
Electrical Fires
Statistics show that 20% of fires are caused by electrical faults. Some common causes of electrical fires can be anything from faulty outlets, lighting fixtures, power-cord outlets, heaters and faulty or old wiring.
Faulty Cabling – is the most common cause of electrical fires. The heat produced on any type of wiring is minimal. Excessive heat is rare because safety switches and fuses (if sized correctly) typically protect this from occurring. Rarely though, failing safety devices or appliances can create far more heat than they are designed to, thus adding extra heat on the wiring causing degradation of the cable insulation with the likelihood of fire damage. Loose Connections on outlets can produce this excessive heat as they generate a high current over a small area for a long period of time. Old & Corroded Lighting Fixtures are another common reason for electrical fires, installing a lamp into a lighting fixture that is too high in wattage for its recommended use is an accident waiting to happen.
If your home is over 20 years old it is more than likely the wiring is outdated and should be rewired. The old wiring may not have the capacity to handle the increased amount of loads on new appliances such as microwaves, air-conditioner units, washing machines, dryers and the newer model TVs.
Preventing Electrical Fires In Your Home
- Check for faulty wiring. If your home is wired in the old cotton cable, it needs to be removed immediately.
- Keep heat-producing appliances unplugged when not in use.
- Never use extension cords. A safer alternative is installing a quad power-point.
- Make sure cords are not degrading or …
- Check outlets and switches for cracks
Flood & Storm Damage
Flood and storm damage can create all sorts of emergency electrician problems for Sydney residents. Following a major storm, restoring power is one of the highest priorities. Water damage can effect safety switches, fuses, outlets, wiring, appliances and devices.
Outcomes From Storm Damage may include Power Surges – a power surge will usually last less than a thousandth of a second. It can occur due to high powered electrical devices creating a spike in electrical current when they are switched on for operation. Household electrical items such as refrigerators, air-con units and heaters are common culprits of power surges. Power surges are also caused by tripped safety switches due to short circuits on faulty wiring.
Lightning Strikes that strike close to a power line will also cause a surge. A single strike can cause burnout of multiple appliances including TVs, PCs, Microwaves, Dishwashers, Dryers, Washing Machines etc.
Any type of water damage to wiring allows greater risk of devastating property damage, wires may come exposed and exposing you to electric shock. When appliances or devices are submerged in water, a buzzing noise is coming from light switches or outlets, or water is dripping from lighting fixtures, it’s really time to call an electrician.
Ways To Prepare For A Storm
- Install a surge protector safety device on your power
- Isolate your solar power by isolating the safety switch
- Turn off switches, power outlets and other electrical components
- Have food essentials, water, hand torch and a emergency kit prepared
What happens when you call us
Emergency electrician calls are answered by our owner, Ken. He will talk you through what the best solution to your problem is and identify the best course of action to take once he arrives at your property.
If you don’t have electricity at all in your home you may be experiencing a power cut. Don’t waste your money by calling us, check to see if there is a power outage in your area. Your energy provider’s website will tell you if you have been affected or not.
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