Electrical problems rarely happen at a convenient time. A safety switch trips during a Saturday barbecue. The lights go out on a weeknight. A power point starts smelling hot just before bed. Knowing which issues need an emergency electrician, and which can wait for a normal booking, takes some stress out of the moment.

Call 000 first if there is fire or injury

If there are flames, heavy smoke or someone has received an electric shock and is hurt, call 000 before anything else. Do not touch a person who may still be in contact with a live source. Once everyone is safe, an electrician can deal with the cause.

Call an emergency electrician now

These situations are worth an urgent call, day or night:

A burning smell, smoke or scorch marks at the switchboard, a power point, a switch or a light fitting.
Sparking from an outlet, switch or appliance connection.
Someone has received a tingle or shock from a tap, appliance, metal fitting or wall.
Total loss of power in your home when the neighbours still have power and you cannot reset it.
A safety switch that trips immediately every time you try to reset it, leaving essential circuits off.
Water getting into the switchboard, light fittings or power points after a storm or leak.
Wires exposed or hanging after storm damage, a fallen branch or building work.
Power lost to medical equipment that a household member relies on.

Probably urgent, depending on circumstances

Some problems sit in the middle. Whether they are emergencies depends on what is affected:

Loss of power to the fridge and freezer, particularly in summer or before a long weekend.
A tripped circuit that controls the hot water system or cooking appliances.
Flickering lights across the house that are getting worse, which may suggest a supply or neutral problem.
An outdoor power circuit that keeps tripping during wet weather, especially near a pool.

If you are not sure, call and describe what is happening. Kalani will tell you honestly if it can wait.

Usually fine for a normal booking

These are worth fixing but do not need an after-hours visit:

A single light fitting that has stopped working when the rest of the circuit is fine.
A loose power point faceplate with no heat, marks or smell.
Adding power points, lights or a ceiling fan.
Replacing ageing smoke alarms that still test correctly.
Planning a switchboard upgrade for an older home.

What you can safely check first

Before calling, it can help to:

Check whether your neighbours have power. If not, it is likely a network outage to report to Endeavour Energy.
Look at the switchboard for a tripped safety switch or breaker, as long as there is no smell or damage.
Unplug appliances on the tripped circuit and try resetting once.

Our guide on what to do in a power outage walks through these steps in more detail.

What to tell the electrician

Clear information helps the electrician come prepared. Mention:

What you noticed and when it started.
What is affected, such as the whole house, some rooms or one outlet.
Whether anything was happening at the time, like a storm or an appliance turning on.
Anything you have already tried.

Photos and short videos are very useful, as long as taking them does not put you near danger.

Local, and available around the clock

Flowstate is based in Warilla and is open 24 hours for emergency electrical call outs across Shellharbour and Lake Illawarra, Wollongong, Kiama and nearby suburbs. Customers have told us Kalani turned up at short notice for urgent jobs and fixed problems other electricians had not been able to resolve.

If something electrical in your home feels wrong, call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346. Photos are welcome and help him prepare on the way.

When to call an emergency electrician