When Should You Call an Emergency Electrician?

Madiston PowerTel, Inc. recommends, when in doubt, always calling an emergency electrician. If you smell unpleasant odors, your electrical system is unruly, or portions of your electrical current are no longer working, it is vital for you to call a licensed, certified, and insured electrician.

Warning signs that you may need to call an emergency electrician

Acrid Odor, Burning, and/or Hot Outlets: Acrid odors can be a sign that something is wrong within the walls such as singed or burning wires. A hot outlet can mean that a connection to the outlet is uninsulated or has a loose connection.

Circuit Breaker Trips Frequently: The circuit breaker is the main location within your home that controls how electricity is divided. The circuit breaker prevents the outlet from overloading and causing a fire by tripping, or cutting itself off when it is overloaded. Over time, the wires of a circuit can wear out causing the breaker to continuously trip.

Discolored Outlets, Switches, or Other Components: Discolored outlets, switches, or other electrical components can be a burn mark from faulty wiring, an electrical spark, or a socket with too much electricity in the circuit. Even though these stains can many times be wiped away, you do not need to ignore the potential seriousness behind the stains and should cut off electricity to that circuit immediately and contact Madiston PowerTel, Inc.

Flickering and Dimming Lights: Continuous flickering or dimming of your lights could be a sign of electrical overload.

Humming or Buzzing Noises: While some humming or buzzing noises are harmless, they should not be ignored because they can be a sign of bad wiring or electrical failure.