--- title: "Electrical Problems and Emergencies in Southlake, TX" description: "Electrical emergency help for Southlake and North Texas: fire, downed lines, tripping breakers, dead outlets, outages, storm damage and generator safety." url: https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/emergency-electrical-help publisher: Daniel Electric phone: +1-817-481-8606 quote: https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/contact --- # Electrical problems and emergencies: what to do first, what to never touch and who to call For fire, smoke, sparks or a downed power line, leave the area and call 911. For a utility outage, call your utility. For a breaker that keeps tripping, a dead outlet or a warm panel, stop using the circuit and call a licensed electrician. Never open a panel or touch a fallen wire. Homeowner guideUpdated October 21, 20269 min read ## Fire and downed lines go to 911 Leave the area and call 911 for fire, smoke or a fallen power line. Then call the utility. ## A trip is a message CPSC says to find out why a breaker trips and not to simply reset it again and again. ## Utility problems and house problems differ If the whole street is dark, call the utility. If only your home is dark, check your panel and call an electrician. ## Generators kill with fumes Run a portable generator outside only, far from windows, doors and vents. ## 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. What you see or smell What it means What to do Flames, heavy smoke or sparks Active fire or arcing Leave. Call 911. Do not fight an electrical fire with water. A fallen or sagging power line Live line Stay far away. Call 911 and the utility. Someone has been shocked and is still in contact Live current Do not touch them. Call 911. Cut power at a safe disconnect only if you can do it without risk. Strong burning smell with no visible source Overheated wire or part Leave if the smell is strong. Call 911 if you see smoke. Water in a panel or on live equipment Shock hazard Stay out of the water. Do not touch the panel. Call a licensed electrician or 911. Panel hot to the touch, buzzing or crackling Loose connection or arcing Keep clear. Call a licensed electrician now. 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](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/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](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/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](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/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. Check Why Is the outlet a GFCI, or on a GFCI circuit? A tripped GFCI can shut off outlets in other rooms. Press its reset button once. Did a breaker trip? Look from outside the panel. Does the outlet work with another plug in it? A bad cord or appliance can look like a bad outlet. Is it warm, brown or loose? Stop using it. Call a licensed electrician. Are several outlets or lights out? That points to a circuit or panel problem. Our blog post on [why a breaker keeps tripping](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/blog/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. Utility How to report Source Oncor Call 888.313.4747 for outages. For service requests, call 888.313.6862. City of Grapevine page CoServ Call 855-938-3496 for an electric outage CoServ outage page Tri-County Electric Cooperative Check your bill or the co-op’s site for the outage line Your provider 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](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/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. Hazard What causes it What to do Carbon monoxide poisoning Generator run inside or too close to the house Run it outside, far from openings. Use CO alarms in the home. Backfeed Generator plugged into a house outlet or panel without a transfer switch Never do this. Use a [transfer switch](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/transfer-switch) installed by a licensed electrician. Fire Fuel spills, a hot engine, or overloaded cords Let the engine cool before refueling. Use heavy-duty cords. Shock Wet equipment or damaged cords Keep it dry. Replace damaged cords. 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](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/electrical-panels-and-service-upgrades). ## Next step For an electrical problem that is not a 911 emergency, see our [residential electrician](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/electrician) page. Call (817) 481-8606 or send the [quote form](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/contact), and tell us what you saw and when it started. ## Frequently asked questions ### What should I do if I smell burning at an outlet or panel? If you see smoke or flame, leave the building and call 911. If the smell is faint and there is no smoke, stop using that circuit, turn it off at the breaker only if you can do so safely, keep clear of the panel and call a licensed electrician. Do not open the panel or outlet. ### What do I do if I see a downed power line? Stay away from it and from anything touching it, such as a fence, a car or a puddle. Oncor says never to approach, touch or attempt to move a downed power line or any object in contact with one. Leave the area and call 911 and your utility. ### Why does my breaker keep tripping? A breaker trips when a circuit carries too much current, has a short or has a fault. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says to find out why it trips and not simply reset it. Unplug items on that circuit and call a licensed electrician if it trips again. ### How do I tell if a power outage is the utility or my house? Look outside. If neighbors and street lights are dark too, it is probably the utility, so report it to Oncor or your provider. If only your home is out, check whether a main breaker tripped, and call a licensed electrician if resetting does not help or the breaker trips again. ### Is it safe to run a generator during an outage? Only outdoors. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says never to use portable generators indoors or in garages, basements or sheds, and to use them outside well away from windows, doors and vents. Never connect a generator to house wiring without a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. ### What should I tell Daniel Electric when I call? Tell us your address, what you saw, heard or smelled, when it started, and which rooms are affected. Say whether any breaker has tripped and whether anyone was hurt. Call (817) 481-8606. If anyone is in danger or there is fire, call 911 first. ## Terms on this page - [Portable generator](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/portable-generator) - [Service entrance](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/service-entrance) - [Circuit breaker](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/circuit-breaker) - [Transfer switch](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/transfer-switch) - [Dimming lights](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/dimming-lights) - [Burning smell](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/burning-smell) - [Ground fault](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/ground-fault) - [Main breaker](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/main-breaker) - [Service mast](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/service-mast) - [Meter base](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/glossary/meter-base) ## Sources 1. [Oncor: Safety](https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/us/en/home/about-us/safety.html) 2. [Oncor: Safety (storms)](https://www.oncor.com/content/oncorwww/us/en/home/about-us/safety.html) 3. [City of Grapevine: Home page (Oncor outage line)](https://www.grapevinetexas.gov/) 4. [CoServ: Outages](https://www.coserv.com/outages) 5. [CPSC: Safety precautions for circuit breakers and fuses](https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/1983/Commission-Closes-Investigation-Of-FPE-Circuit-Breakers-And-Provides-Safety-Information-For-Consumers) 6. [NFPA: Electrical Home Fire Safety](https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/electrical-safety-in-the-home) 7. [ESFI: Home Electrical Fires](https://www.esfi.org/home-electrical-fires/) 8. [CPSC: Generators and Engine-Driven Tools](https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Carbon-Monoxide-Home/Generators-and-Engine-Driven-Tools) 9. [TDLR: Electricians](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/) Written by Daniel Electric and checked against the sources above on October 21, 2026. City rules and product guidance change, so check the linked page before you act. ## Keep reading - [Warning Signs of an Electrical Problem (and What to Do Next)Call 911 for smoke, fire, sparks you cannot stop, or a downed power line. Call a licensed electrician the same day for a burning smell, a hot outlet or panel, or a buzzing breaker. Schedule a visit soon for flickering lights, breakers that trip often, or warm cover plates. Never ignore a repeating sign.](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/electrical-warning-signs) - [Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping? Causes and Next StepsA breaker trips to stop too much current. The usual causes are an overloaded circuit, a short circuit, a ground fault, an arc fault, or a worn breaker. Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off, unplug what is on that circuit, and call a licensed electrician.](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/blog/breaker-keeps-tripping) - [Electrical panels and service upgrades: what they are, when to act, and who does whatAn electrical panel splits the power that enters your home into separate circuits and protects each one with a breaker. Repair fits a failed part. Replacement fits an old, damaged, recalled or overloaded panel. A service upgrade raises the power your home can draw. A licensed electrician must do all three.](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/electrical-panels-and-service-upgrades) - [GFCI vs AFCI: What Each One Protects and Where You Need ItA GFCI cuts power fast when current leaks to ground, which protects people from shock near water. An AFCI detects dangerous arcing in wiring and cuts power, which helps prevent fires. GFCIs are common in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements and outdoors. Test both monthly. A licensed electrician should install them.](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/gfci-vs-afci) - [Whole-house surge protection and home safety devices: what each one does and where it fitsA whole-house surge protective device guards your wiring and electronics from voltage spikes. A GFCI cuts power fast when current leaks to ground. An AFCI watches for dangerous arcing. Smoke and CO alarms warn you of fire and gas. Each device covers a different risk, so they work as a set.](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/guides/surge-protection-and-home-safety) - [After a North Texas Storm: Electrical Checks Before Power ReturnsAfter a storm in Southlake, Grapevine, or Keller, stay away from downed lines and call 911. Oncor says damaged equipment on your house, like the meter base or weatherhead, needs a licensed electrician before power can be restored. Do not touch wet panels or flooded outlets. Call an electrician for any damage.](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/blog/after-a-north-texas-storm-electrical-checks) TECL #21005 · Family owned since 1988 ## Need an electrician in Southlake? Call and tell us what is going on. A photo of the panel label or the problem helps us come prepared. Quotes on new installations are free. [Call (817) 481-8606](tel:+1-817-481-8606)[Get a quote](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/contact) ![A Daniel Electric bucket lift raised to a parking lot light pole](https://danielelectric.multisites.ai/_astro/bucket-at-light-pole.BSVZ9eST_1Dp6XR.webp)