When To Call An Emergency Electrician | Myrtle Beach, SC

5/15/2021

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Most Myrtle Beach, SC homeowners have dealt with an electrical issue at one point or another. It is unavoidable that at some point you are going to have an electrical issue that will require a professional to help. From a tripped circuit breaker to a flickering light fixture or a dead outlet there are hundreds of reasons why you may need to call an electrician. Most of the time you don’t need immediate help, but in some circumstances, you may actually need help from an emergency electrician. The trick usually is figuring out when an electrician is necessary and when you can wait for the next available service visit.

Usually, the defining factor is whether or not the electrical problem may cause a potential safety hazard. If you have any worry or concern that your electrical issue could lead to a house fire or electrocution risk, then you need to call an emergency electrician. The job of an emergency electrician is to always be on call so that they can fix unexpected problems at any time of the day. Some electrical companies take turns placing an electrician on “reserve” so to speak.

This ensures that someone is always available when you call with an emergency. This person does not go out on regular service calls so that they can be available for an emergency call and usually companies that offer emergency electrical services will have someone available during late evenings, holidays, weekends, and any other time of the year. Of course, in exchange, you should expect to pay more for their services, but when the safety of your family is in question the extra price is well worth the knowledge that your home is safe. Here are a few situations when you should always call an emergency electrician for help.

Storm Damages

There are multiple ways that storms can cause electrical damage to a home. Usually what Myrtle Beach, SC homeowners notice is that trees or other storm debris knock out their telephone pool which results in no electricity for a sustained period of time. This is not something you need an electrical service to troubleshoot since the city will have to handle it when they can get to it. Depending on the extent of a storm sometimes it takes time for the electric company to fix all of the lines in the city. This is one reason why it can be a good idea to install a backup generator if you live in a hurricane-prone area.

That said, sometimes storm damages can result in electrical hazards within your home. A power surge or certain other issues can cause harm to your home’s electrical system. If you have any reason to think that the electrical system of your home is not working correctly after a storm or if actual debris has actually crashed through a window and you have sparking outlets or light fixtures then you need to immediately call for help from an emergency electrician.

Outlets Are Discolored or Sparking

Speaking of sparking outlets, you should never see sparks flying from your outlets whether there is a storm or not. If you notice that any of your outlets are sparking or if the outlet cover is looking a bit discolored from burning or melted you need to immediately call an emergency electrician to deal with the issue. Sometimes when you notice a sparking outlet or discolored outlet you will also smell faint electrical burning along with it. Most people describe this smell as rubber-like, similar to the smell you might notice after playing with a remote-controlled car track.

At any rate, this is a serious sign that you need an emergency electrician to prevent a future fire risk. There are several issues that can lead to this, and none of them are great. From outdated wiring to damaged wiring to fault appliances and overloaded circuits each of these issues needs to be properly addressed quickly by an electrician or you could face an electrocution risk or house fire. Only an electrician can assess the issue properly to make sure they have identified the correct source of the problem and then fixed it to eliminate the risk.

You Notice Exposed Wires in Your Home or Basement

Exposed wires are very dangerous because all it takes is a touch to the copper while it is live and you could be electrocuted. At the very least you could sustain a reasonable shock and eventually if something else sparks against the wire a home fire may start. From plugs to cords to actual writing in your, you should never be able to see exposed wiring. Exposed wiring sometimes occurs in older Myrtle Beach, SC homes because of aging, but it can also occur if you have a rodent infestation because mice and other small animals eat the plastic coating off wires.

Odd Noises Coming Out of the Electrical System

Finally, you shouldn’t hear anything from your electrical system at any time, so if you do start to hear odd noises this is a clear sign that you need to call an emergency electrician. Concerning noises include a buzzing or humming noise that is coming from any switch, light, or outlet in your home. Usually, this occurs when there is a wire that is not properly grounded, a connection that is loosening, or a circuit that is overloaded. If not addressed immediately, furthermore expensive to your electrical system may occur. It also might create a power surge that ruins an appliance in your home or even sparks an electrical fire.

If you have noticed electrical noises in your home or any other of the above signs, you need to call an emergency electrician right away. Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach offers an emergency service designed to help you quickly troubleshoot problems so you can rest easy that your family is safe within your home.