Electricity is an energy source that is of great importance in life. We use electricity to do many things every day – lighting, heating, and cooling homes, watching television, communicating with family and friends, powering up computers, and so on. Because it’s widely used in Bawley Point everyday, it is often underestimated. When not taken care of properly, your appliances and other devices may get damaged and may cause an electrical emergency. It is important you know what to do in times of electrical emergencies. Whether the threat is to safety or productivity, you should have an emergency electrician on standby and a detailed plan in place.
We’ve covered the most common electrical emergencies and how you should prepare for each situation:
The most important step to handling electrical emergencies is to stay calm and immediately call your local Bawley Point electrician, your utility provider and your fire department to help you handle the situation.
One of the things that cause blackouts and power outages is when a community consumes a huge amount of electricity all at once, thus overwhelming the power grid which may cause unexpected shutdowns. Power outages happen unexpectedly, and can be potentially dangerous especially during the warm and cold seasons. Businesses, hospitals and other commercial buildings usually have a generator as back-up; however, generators don’t fully power up everything. Until your local utility provider solves the problem, it is important to know what to do to prevent damage to your devices once the power is back.
During a power outage or a blackout, make sure to turn off all electrical devices such as your television, your computers, your refrigerator and etc., as sudden power surges can cause damage to them. Keep candles and flashlights at the ready to help you navigate through the dark, and quickly notify your local utility provider.
Stormy weather, vehicular accidents and other incidents near poles can sometimes result in “downed” power lines, and it presents invisible danger. It is never safe to approach a fallen power line that is near or on the ground. This can be fatal. When you see a fallen power line, stay at least 30 metres away from it, and immediately contact your local Bawley Point electrician for help. Should the fallen line come in contact with a vehicle, make sure to never touch the vehicle at all costs, and occupants remain seated until your utility provider confirms the power is off. Always remember to treat power lines as if they were live, and that electricity passes through soil, water, metal, and even people and animals.
A meter box is a device that directs electricity to several other areas in your establishment, such as lights, wall sockets, appliances and other devices. Each of these areas, referred to as “circuits”, have their own breakers that can protect your circuits from overload. Because of this, breakers tend to blow up or “trip”, and then emit a humming or buzzing sound. The sound does not necessarily impose danger, but it is safer for your local Bawley Point electrician to handle your meter box and solve the issue immediately. We are also capable of replacing your meter box, and we at BayCoast Electrical highly suggest replacing your old switchboards once in a while for added safety measures.
Every electric circuit must have protection against overloads, and overloads occur when the amount of current flowing through the circuit exceeds the normal rating of the devices. Running too many blow dryers and curling irons at once is an example of a circuit overload problem in the home. In these cases, your fuse blows, or your circuit breaker trips to prevent further electricity flowing.
Some signs of circuit overload are as follows:
Any related issues solved on your own can lead to serious problems. Don’t take any risks and reach out to your local Bawley Point electrician here at BayCoast Electrical.
Electrical fires are fires that involve energised electrical equipment. This kind of fire may be caused by short-circuited machinery, or overloaded electrical cables. These fires can be hazardous to you if you try to use water to douse the electrical fire. This is because electricity can actually flow from the fire, through water, through one’s body, and then to the earth. So unlike normal fires, electrical fires are handled in a different way. While the fire is or can be electrically energised, it can be doused with a fire extinguisher rated for electrical fire. Electrical fire starts around electrical sources first, so it is advised to immediately turn off your electrical source and contact your local fire department right away. We do not recommend you try and put fires out yourself. Please contact 000 if you encounter a fire.
The danger of an electric shock depends on the current type, the voltage level, the current traveled to the body, the person’s overall health, and how quickly the person is treated. An electric shock can cause anything from minor discomfort, to burns, to internal injuries, and even death. If a person is experiencing an electric shock, seek a doctor’s advice, and call an ambulance right away. As a precaution, do not touch the person injured, as you might get shocked as well. In the event of a major electric shock, never go near high-voltage wires until the power is turned off. Stay at least 6 metres away from wires – stay further if the wires are jumping or sparking; and call your nearest hospital for an immediate medical emergency.
Every one of us must always be prepared in times of any kind of emergency – whether it’s electrical or otherwise. We must make sure to store maintained and up-to-date fire extinguishers in our homes or businesses, and watch out for faulty wiring and overloaded circuits. Emergency contact numbers should also be visible, and have emergency escape routes in areas easily seen.
We at BayCoast Electrical strongly believe that the health and safety of our team, as well as our customers, is of utmost importance. We make sure emergencies are performed with zero casualties, as we guarantee safety and proper execution of electrical testing procedures.
Get in touch with us now and talk to one of our qualified Bawley Point electricians for any electrical issue.
We’d like to recognise the traditional owners of the beautiful Bay Coast area, the Walbanga people of the Yuin nation.
