Electrical safety tips
Signs it’s time to call an electrician, and how to stay safe in a storm.
Call an electrician if you notice
- A burning smell, or outlets and switch plates that feel warm
- Lights that flicker or dim when something else turns on
- Breakers that trip again and again, or fuses that keep blowing
- Buzzing or crackling from an outlet or the panel
- Outlets near water that aren’t GFCI (with test and reset buttons)
- Aluminum wiring in an older home
Storms and generators
- Stay at least 35 feet from a downed line, and call the power company and 911.
- Never plug a portable generator into a wall outlet. It can send power back down the line and injure line workers. A transfer switch does it safely.
- Run generators outdoors, away from windows and doors.
- If water reached outlets or the panel, have them checked before turning the power back on.