Electricity is vital to our daily lives. Anyone who has experienced a power outage knows how difficult it can be to get anything done without a steady supply of electricity. You cannot cook, watch the TV, or even see very well to name just a few of things that can happen when the power goes out during the evening.
However, electricity also can be dangerous. There are a number of common electrical emergencies that can occur if you are not careful. Should you encounter one of these situations, do not try to deal with it on your own. Instead, call an experienced electrician to your home so that he can make the necessary repairs.
A Common Electrical Problem
One of the most common electrical problems is the aforementioned power outage. While these are frequently the result of a problem elsewhere in the system, there are times when the outage may be limited to your home. The first thing to do is to check your circuit breakers to see if any of them have been tripped.
If so, resetting the tripped breaker may be enough to restore power. Otherwise, the problem may be with the system itself. Contact your local energy company to report the outage and find out when power will be restored.
Downed Power Lines
A downed power line can be very dangerous. Never go near a power line that has come down. Stay at least 100 feet away and call for immediate assistance. If someone comes in contact with a downed line, call for medical help right away. Do not try to free them from the power line on your own, since doing so may put your own life in danger.
Home Wiring Faults
A live wire in your home can be equally dangerous. Do not touch the wire or try to fix it by yourself, since doing so could cause a dangerous electric shock. In such situations, the best thing to do is to shut off the power in your home manually. There should be a main power switch located on your board that will let you turn off the power in your home.
Electrical Fires
A final electrical emergency that can occur is an electrical fire. These fires can be quite dangerous. Do not try to extinguish them with water. If the fire is small, you may be able to put it out with baking soda or a dry fire extinguisher. Otherwise, get out of your house and call for help.
These are some of the most common electrical emergencies that can happen in the home. Be sensible and take precautions to keep your risk to a minimum.
Last Updated on March 19, 2019 