Electrical problems and emergencies: what to do first, what to never touch and who to call

When should I call 911 first?

Call 911 for fire, smoke, flames, sparks that do not stop, a person who has been shocked, or a downed power line. Leave the building first if there is fire or heavy smoke. Call the electrician and the utility after you are safe.

Some signs mean “get out now.” Others mean “stop using it and call.” Know the difference before you need it.

A note about fire. Water on an electrical fire can carry current to you. If a small fire starts at an appliance, unplug it only if you can do so safely. For anything larger, get out and call. Never go back inside to save belongings.

What are the signs of danger I should never touch?

Never touch a downed line, anything in contact with one, a panel that is hot or crackling, or any wire or equipment in water. Do not remove a panel cover or an outlet plate to look. NFPA and ESFI both list warning signs that call for a qualified electrician.

NFPA lists these signs as reasons to call a qualified electrician: frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, a tingling feeling when you touch an electrical appliance, discolored or warm wall outlets, a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance, and flickering or dimming lights. ESFI adds unusual sizzling and buzzing sounds from your electrical system.

Here is a “hands off” list for the home.

• A downed or low-hanging power line, and anything touching it.
• A panel cover, breaker or wire that is hot, wet, burned or open.
• Any outlet or switch with brown marks, melted plastic or a warm plate.
• Wiring in standing water, a flooded garage or a wet basement.
• A tree resting on a service line or a meter.
• A tingling or shock from an appliance or a faucet.

For a longer list of warning signs, read our guide on electrical warning signs.

What are safe first steps for a tripping breaker or a dead outlet?

Stop and think before you reset anything. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says to find out why a breaker trips and not to simply reset it. Unplug what is on the circuit, reset the breaker once if it is safe, and call an electrician if it trips again.

A circuit breaker trips to protect the wiring. The reason is usually an overload, a short or a ground fault. The word for this is tripping, and a trip tells you something about the circuit.

Follow these steps for one breaker that has tripped.

1. Look at the panel from outside only. Do not remove the cover. Find the breaker that sits in the middle position or looks different from the others.
2. Unplug or turn off what is on that circuit. Remember what was running when it tripped.
3. Reset the breaker once. Push it fully to off, then back to on.
4. Add loads back one at a time. Watch for a trip.
5. Stop if it trips again. Leave it off and call a licensed electrician.

Never tape a breaker closed, swap in a larger breaker or hold it on. Those moves hide the problem and raise the risk of fire.

For a dead outlet, check a few simple things.

Our blog post on why a breaker keeps tripping goes through more causes. If you have lost power in a room or half the house with no tripped breaker, call a licensed electrician.

Is the outage the utility or my home?

If your neighbors and the street lights are dark too, it is probably the utility. If only your home is out, check your main breaker and your panel, then call an electrician. When in doubt, report it to the utility, and ask which side of the meter the fault is on.

Your utility depends on your address. Oncor and Tri-County Electric Cooperative serve Southlake. Oncor serves Grapevine, with Tri-County in the northwest. CoServ serves parts of other nearby towns. Check your bill.

How to sort it out:

1. Look outside. Are street lights and neighbors’ homes dark?
2. If yes, report the outage to your utility and stay away from any lines.
3. If no, check your main breaker and any tripped breakers.
4. If the main breaker is tripped and will not reset, or you see burn marks, call a licensed electrician.
5. If you find a problem at the meter or the service wires, stay clear and call the utility.

During an outage, Oncor advises keeping refrigerator and freezer doors shut. Turn off or unplug sensitive electronics and leave one light on, so you know when power returns. A surge when power returns can damage equipment. See our pillar on surge protection and home safety for protection options.

What should an electrician inspect after a storm?

After a storm, have a licensed electrician look at the service entrance, the meter base, the panel, outdoor outlets and any equipment that took a hit. Look for water, burn marks, loose parts and tripped devices. Do not climb to the roof or touch the service wires yourself.

Check these things from the ground, with your own eyes only.

• The service mast and the wires to the house. Do they sag, lean or look pulled?
• The meter base. Is it loose, cracked or wet?
• Outdoor outlets and lights. Any water, cracks or burn marks?
• Tripped GFCIs and breakers. Note which ones.
• Appliances and electronics. Any that no longer work after the event?
• Odors. A burning smell, even faint, deserves a call.

Tell the electrician what you saw and when. Photos help. If a tree rests on a service line, stay away and call 911 and the utility.

If a flood reached outlets, the panel or the meter, treat the wiring as unsafe. Do not turn power on. Water damage can be hidden in walls and boxes. A licensed electrician must check the system before you restore power.

How do I use a generator safely?

Run a portable generator outdoors only, far from windows, doors and vents. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says never to use portable generators indoors or in garages, basements or sheds. Generator exhaust holds carbon monoxide, a gas you cannot see or smell.

A generator can hurt in two ways: fumes inside the home, and power sent back out to the utility lines.

Daniel Electric does not list generator installation as a service page here. If you want a standby system or a transfer switch, ask us when you call, and we will tell you what we can do.

Make sure you have working CO alarms before an outage. The surge protection pillar covers alarm placement.

What should I tell the electrician when I call?

Give your address, what you saw, heard or smelled, and when it started. Say which rooms are affected, whether breakers tripped and whether anyone was hurt. Short, exact facts help the electrician plan the right visit.

Use this script.

1. Who and where. Name, address and a phone number.
2. What happened. Smell, sound, smoke, sparks, a trip, or lights out.
3. When. When it started, and what you were doing or running.
4. Where. Which rooms, outlets or equipment.
5. What you did. Did you reset a breaker? Did you turn off the main?
6. Safety. Is anyone in danger? Is there water near the equipment?
7. Photos. Send photos of the outside of the panel or the damaged area if you can.

Daniel Electric lists troubleshooting among its services and states that it can find the problem. We do not publish emergency hours or promise a response time on this page. Call (817) 481-8606 and ask what we can do for your situation. If there is fire, smoke or a person in danger, call 911 first.

Texas requires a license for electrical work for hire. TDLR states that anyone who performs or offers to perform non-exempt electrical work must be licensed and perform that work through a licensed electrical contractor. Daniel Electric is a family owned and operated company in Southlake with a Texas license, TECL #21005, and it says it has served the area since 1988.

How do I lower the risk of the next emergency?

Most electrical emergencies show early signs. Fix small signs early, test your safety devices, protect equipment from surges and keep your panel in good condition. A yearly look by a licensed electrician is a good habit for an older home.

A short prevention list:

• Test smoke and CO alarms every month, and replace them on schedule.
• Press the test button on GFCIs and AFCIs on the schedule the maker gives.
• Do not overload outlets or run cords under rugs.
• Replace damaged cords and outlets that feel warm.
• Keep the area around the panel clear.
• Trim trees away from your service wires, using a line-qualified contractor.
• Know where your main breaker is and how to turn it off.
• Add surge protection for the whole house.

If your panel is old or shows signs of trouble, see our pillar on electrical panels and service upgrades.

Next step

For an electrical problem that is not a 911 emergency, see our residential electrician page. Call (817) 481-8606 or send the quote form, and tell us what you saw and when it started.