Electrical emergencies at home: a safety guide
Smoke, fire, sparking, shocks, a hot or buzzing panel, electrical equipment in water and downed lines are emergencies. Call 911 or the utility for those. Partial outages, breakers that keep tripping, dead outlets and flickering lights need an electrician soon. Call 833-877-1717 to request an independent electrician.
RepairNowUSA editorial review · Last substantively reviewed October 13, 2026 · Review standards
Call 911 or the utility first
- Smoke or fire from an outlet, panel, wall or appliance: get out and call 911.
- Downed power lines: stay far away (many utilities advise at least 35 feet) and call the utility or 911. Assume every line is live.
- Someone has been shocked: do not touch them if they are still in contact with the source. Turn off power if you can safely, and call 911.
- Panel, meter or service line damaged: such as a tree pulling the service drop off the house. Call the utility.
- Floodwater around the panel or outlets: do not enter the water. Ask the utility to disconnect power.
Get an electrician soon
- Sparking outlet or switch: turn off that breaker and do not use it.
- Burning smell you have traced to one device: turn off the circuit. See our burning smell guide.
- Mild shock or tingle from a fixture, appliance or faucet: stop using it and turn off its circuit. This can mean a grounding fault.
- Breaker that trips immediately when reset: leave it off.
- Warm or discolored outlets and switch plates.
- Buzzing from the panel or a device.
Partial power outage
Some rooms work and others do not, or lights dim and brighten strangely:
- Check whether neighbors have the same problem. If so, call the utility.
- Look for a tripped breaker or a GFCI outlet that has tripped (often in bathrooms, kitchens, garages and outdoors). One GFCI can protect several outlets downstream.
- If half the house is dead and lights in the other half flicker or brighten, the home may have lost one "leg" of its service or have a loose neutral. Turn off sensitive electronics and call the utility first, then an electrician. A loose neutral can damage appliances and is a fire risk.
Breakers that keep tripping
- Trips when a particular appliance runs: likely overload; move high-draw devices to other circuits.
- Trips immediately on reset: likely a short circuit or ground fault. Leave it off.
- Trips randomly: could be a failing breaker, loose connection or arc fault. AFCI breakers trip on arcing that can lead to fires.
Resetting once is reasonable. Repeated resetting is not.
Water and electricity
- Never stand in water to operate the panel or unplug devices.
- Equipment that was underwater, such as outlets, panels, furnaces and water heaters, should be inspected before it is energized again.
- Generators must be connected through a proper transfer switch or interlock, never by plugging into a wall outlet ("backfeeding"), which can kill utility workers.
Getting an electrician
Tell the electrician what you see, smell and hear, which breakers are off, and whether anyone was shocked. Photos of the panel label and any damage help.
When you call 833-877-1717, RepairNowUSA looks for a participating independent licensed electrician in your area. The electrician confirms timing and price with you.
How RepairNowUSA can help
Call 833-877-1717 and describe what is happening and the property ZIP code. RepairNowUSA looks for a participating independent provider for that kind of work in your area and connects you if one is available. The provider confirms timing, scope and price with you and does the work. Availability and response times vary and are not guaranteed.
Call 833-877-1717Common questions
What counts as an electrical emergency?
Smoke, fire, sparks, shocks, a hot or buzzing panel, burning smells, electrical equipment in water and downed lines. Call 911 or the utility for fire, shocks and downed lines.
Why is half my house without power?
Often a tripped breaker or GFCI. If neighbors are also affected, or lights elsewhere flicker and brighten, the home may have lost one leg of the utility service or have a loose neutral. Call the utility, then an electrician.
Is a sparking outlet dangerous?
A tiny spark when plugging in a high-draw device can be normal. Large sparks, repeated sparking, scorch marks or sparking without anything being plugged in are dangerous. Turn off the breaker and call an electrician.
Can I fix electrical problems myself?
Resetting a breaker or GFCI once and unplugging overloaded devices are reasonable. Wiring, panel and service work should be done by a licensed electrician, and many jurisdictions require permits.
Can I call any time?
Yes. You can call 833-877-1717 at any time, including nights, weekends and holidays. Whether an independent provider can come out right away depends on your ZIP code, the time and provider capacity, so availability is not guaranteed.
Authoritative references
These public sources give general safety context. They do not replace an on-site evaluation, and RepairNowUSA does not perform the work.