What counts as an electrical emergency (and when to call after-hours)
Not every electrical issue needs a midnight call-out, but some absolutely do. Knowing the difference can protect your family, your home, and your wallet.
Electrical problems that need immediate attention
The following situations are genuine emergencies. Don't wait until business hours — call a licensed emergency electrician straight away.
- Burning smell with no obvious source. A hot or acrid smell coming from a power point, switchboard, or wall cavity is a serious warning sign. Electrical fires can smoulder inside walls for hours before breaking out. Switch off the power at your switchboard if it is safe to do so, and call immediately.
- Sparks from a power point or appliance. A brief spark when plugging in is normal. Persistent sparking, or sparks accompanied by a pop or burning smell, is not. Unplug everything from that circuit and call a licensed electrician.
- Entire circuits or the whole house losing power when the weather is fine and your neighbours still have power. This can indicate a serious fault at your switchboard or your main supply connection.
- Buzzing or humming from your switchboard. A properly functioning switchboard is silent. Audible noise suggests a loose connection, overloaded breaker, or arcing — all of which are fire risks.
- Water near electrical fittings. Flooding, a roof leak, or a burst pipe that has reached power points, downlights, or your switchboard is an emergency. Do not touch any electrical fittings. Evacuate if necessary and call an electrician and your energy retailer.
- Someone has received an electric shock. Call 000 first, then an electrician to find and fix the fault before power is restored.
Problems that can usually wait until morning
A single power point that has stopped working, a tripped safety switch that resets without tripping again, or a faulty light fitting are annoying but rarely dangerous after-hours emergencies. In these cases, switch off the affected circuit at your switchboard, avoid using the faulty outlet, and book a licensed electrician for fault finding on the next business day.
When in doubt, call
After-hours call-out fees exist for a reason — genuine emergencies. If you are unsure whether your situation is urgent, a quick phone call to an emergency electrician can help you make the call safely. The team at Melbourne Emergency Electricians is available around the clock on 0429 995 999.
Never attempt to investigate or repair a suspected electrical fault yourself. Working on household wiring without a licence is illegal in Victoria and genuinely life-threatening.