What To Do In An Electrical Emergency?
Electrical emergencies can hit without notice, and these emergencies can lead to severe consequences. You may get an electrical shock or fire outage that may cause death. It is crucial for every person to know what to do in electrical emergencies. But before that, it is important to know what is an electrical emergency.
An electrical emergency is a particular situation where any electric failure leads to electrocution or any serious injury. These emergencies need to be treated immediately to prevent them from getting worse and risky. In this blog, you will get a comprehensive guideline of probable electrical emergencies and how to deal with those emergency situations.
Types of Electrical Emergencies and Their Solutions
There are a number of electrical emergencies that happen on a daily. Some of the commonly occurring electrical emergencies are discussed below. Following are some of them with potential reasons and appropriate solutions to get rid of those emergency situations.
Electrical Shocks
The most common reason for electrical shocks is when a person comes in touch with bare electrical wires, especially when wet hands or feet come in contact with wires with a running current. When you face such an emergency, immediately turn off the main power supply. Avoid any physical contact with the person who is getting shock. Consider using a wooden rod to save that person from electric wires. Once the affected person is separated from electrical wires, immediately call for help.
Electrical Fires
Often, old sockets that are not properly ground or circuits that are overloaded burn out and result in electrical wires. Other reasons for electrical fires are faulty sockets or overheating. In the case of electrical wires, quickly cut off the power supply and call the fire brigade for help. Immediately clear the place where the electrical fire broke out and remove all things that can increase the risk of fire.
Power Blackouts
A commonly faced electrical emergency is a power blackout that can be caused by various reasons, including power shortage, a heavy storm or rain. Power blackouts or outages prove dangerous for your and your family’s safety and security.
When you experience a power outage, ensure that all circuit breakers are turned off to save your electrical devices from damage. Moreover, check the circuit breaker to identify whether the outage was due to tripping circuit breakers or a faulty wire. Call a professional electrician to get the exact reason for the blackout.
Short Circuits
Circuit breakers are attached to each circuit at home. The purpose of these circuit breakers is to trip when any emergency occurs or when two wires of different voltages come in contact with each other. Short circuits are very dangerous; they can even lead to a fire. Furthermore, try to find the reason for short circuits; if the connection is loose, then tighten it, or if you find a faulty wire, then tape it. It is recommended to call an electrician for circuit repair.
Circuit Breaker Tripping
Constantly tripping circuit breakers is a sign of an electrical emergency, usually caused by faulty wires and overloaded circuits. Identify which breaker is tripping. Once you identify the circuit, try to fix it. If it keeps on tripping, then ask an expert electrician for help. In case you are unable to find the damaged circuit, then switch off all the circuits at your home.
Burnt Outlet
Sometimes, when you plug in your electrical devices, the device turns off, and a burning smell spreads around. If you see smoke coming out from the outlet, then be aware it is a sign of danger for you. This usually happens when circuits are overloaded or overheated. To save this burn outlet from getting worse, immediately switch off the main power supply. After turning off the power, call an electrician to resolve this issue.
Why Should You Call an Electrician?
Electrical emergencies are not only irritating but also hazardous for the entire household and the people present at that place. There are many cases observed where severe injuries and even deaths occurred due to electrical hazards. So, it is crucial to ask a professional and experienced electrician to deal with such emergencies promptly.
You may question why you need an electrician when you can solve issues on your own. There is no problem in dealing with electrical emergencies all alone. But only if you have the knowledge and some sort of experience regarding electrical emergencies. It is good to have the potential to deal with such emergencies but remember, what an expert can do is entirely different from what you can do. You might mishandle the situation and misinterpret the problem. An experienced electrician is qualified, trained and possesses relevant skills to cope with electrical emergencies. That’s why it is better to have an emergency electrician for help.
Conclusion
Never take risks for the safety and well-being of you and your family. Especially when you experience electrical emergencies because even minor electrical emergencies result in serious consequences. When you face any electrical emergency, quickly turn off the main supply as it can prevent the problem from getting terrible and consider having the services of an electrician.
