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Straight answers

Something is not working. Start here.

Fault finding is the biggest single line of work we do. 8,840 of our jobs since 2020 have been someone ringing up because something stopped. Here is what the common ones usually mean.

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24/7 emergency callout
Licence 82270

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Urgent

01 Safety switch keeps tripping A safety switch that trips is usually doing its job. Something on that circuit is leaking current to earth, and it needs finding rather than resetting. 02 No power to one room One dead room almost always means one tripped circuit or one failed connection. Here is how to work out which, and what not to do. 03 Circuit breaker keeps tripping A breaker trips on overload or a short. Repeatedly resetting one that will not stay in is how switchboards catch fire. 04 Burning smell from a power point Turn that circuit off at the switchboard and stop using it. A burning smell means heat, and heat in an electrical accessory is how house fires start. 05 No hot water A failing hot water element is one of the most common causes of a safety switch tripping overnight. It is also one of the easiest faults to confirm. 06 Switchboard buzzing A buzzing or warm switchboard is not normal and it is not something to watch and see. Turn off what you can and get it looked at. 07 Half the house has no power Half a house going dark usually means one phase has dropped or a main switch has tripped. Check the neighbours before you call anyone. 08 No power after a storm If your switchboard or wiring has been under water or hit by lightning, the power does not come back on until a licensed electrician has tested it and issued a certificate.

Annoying, not dangerous

Worth sorting

09 Lights flickering Flickering ranges from a cheap dimmer that does not suit the globe, right through to a loose connection at the switchboard. The difference matters. 10 Smoke alarm beeping A single chirp every minute or so is nearly always a flat battery or an alarm at end of life. Here is how to tell which, and what Queensland law now requires. 11 Power point not working One dead power point is usually a tripped circuit, a failed accessory or a loose connection. In the tropics it is often moisture or an ant nest. 12 Ceiling fan not working Coastal salt air kills fan motors and capacitors faster than anywhere else in the country. Sometimes it is the capacitor, sometimes the fan is simply finished. 13 Pool pump not working Moisture in the pump motor is the usual culprit. Occasionally it is the pool light, which is a very different repair and a very different price. 14 Oven not working An oven that has stopped is either the appliance, the circuit or the connection. Working out which before you buy a new oven saves a lot of money. 15 Globes keep blowing Globes that fail repeatedly in the same fitting are telling you something. Usually it is heat, a loose connection or the wrong driver. 16 Corroded outdoor fittings On a beachfront or near-beach block, salt air will destroy the wrong fitting in a couple of years. Choosing the right one costs a little more once instead of a lot repeatedly.

Straight answers

Before you ring: the two questions

What counts as an electrical emergency?

Sparks, a burning smell, a hot or discoloured power point or switch, buzzing or crackling from the switchboard, water getting into a board, or a shock off an appliance or a tap. Any of those, turn the power off at the board if you can do it safely and ring us on (07) 4099 3497. The office number is answered 24 hours a day. Losing power to one room is usually not an emergency, and losing it to the whole street is one for Ergon rather than us.

What should I do before the electrician arrives?

Switch off and unplug whatever was running when the problem started, and leave it unplugged. If a safety switch has tripped, try it once. If it trips again, leave it off, because it is telling you something is wrong. Do not open the switchboard, do not replace a fuse wire, and note what you were doing when it happened. That last one saves real time on the job, because the fault is usually on the circuit that was under load.

Not sure which one it is?

Ring the office and describe what is happening. We have heard it before and we will tell you straight whether it needs someone today.

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QLD Electrical Contractor Licence 82270 · 24/7 emergency callout