Emergency electrical work

Like anything that requires immediate assistance, emergency electrical work can cost a small fortune. Let's take a look at some of the things that might cause such an emergency and what you're looking at to get it fixed.

Causes of damage to electric circuits

From blown water heaters to electrical fires, short circuits to downed power lines, there are many types of electrical emergencies - many of them dangerous. The first thing to know when faced with an electrical emergency is how to get yourself and anyone else out of danger.

Assess the situation and remove any possible hazards. If an appliance has caught fire, try to unplug it, or turn off the power at the mains. NEVER try to put out an electrical fire with water, and if there are liquids on the floor, do not step in them, as they can be running a current. If you are unfamiliar with first aid, it's probably a good time to pick up the phone and enrol into a short training course, because your skills might be needed in an electrical emergency too.

Once the basic danger assessment has been made and everyone is safe from potential harm, then it's time to start looking for an emergency electrician (if you don't need the fire brigade first, of course!). It's always a good idea to have some emergency numbers on the fridge, and this is true of emergency technicians.

Cost of an electrical emergency

Unfortunately, most of the time the answer is yes, especially if your emergency just happens to be in the wee hours of the morning. Not all electricians provide emergency services, so make sure you don't waste your time calling around unnecessarily. Those that do will clearly advertise that they provide 24-hour emergency assistance, and if you're lucky, they will only charge the same flat rate (although this is rare).

For instance, one Sydney electrical service that charges an average of $65 and hour (booked at their convenience) will charge $165 an hour if booked before 2pm (with a 2 hour response time) or $207.90 per hour for after hours service.

They also not in their pricing that real estate agents and associated industries get a better price. If you are renting, there's a good chance that your real estate agent has already made an arrangement with an electrician for emergencies, so try their service first. Unless their contractor is unavailable, the real estate may only pay for emergency work handled by their nominated electrician.

In some cases, other authorities might need to be called immediately. Downed power lines, for instance, will need to be fixed by the electricity utility company, so it's a good idea to have their number on the fridge as well, so you can report an incident as quickly as possible.