Read this before you need it. Then call (888) 592-6466 - we answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Burning or fishy plastic smell
Overheating insulation smells like hot plastic or, oddly, like fish. Do not go looking for it with your hands. If you can identify the room, shut off that breaker. If you cannot, shut off the main. If you see smoke or heat marks, get everyone out and call 911 first, then us.
Sparking or buzzing outlet
A brief spark when you plug something in is normal. A spark with nothing being plugged in, buzzing, a warm plate or scorch marks is not. Kill that breaker and do not use the receptacle. See emergency electrician service.
No power at all
- Check whether neighbours are out - if so it is the utility, report it and wait.
- Check the main breaker. If it tripped, reset once. If it trips again, stop.
- Look at the meter and the mast outside from a distance. Pulled away from the house, damaged or arcing means utility first, then us.
Half the house is out
Classic sign of a lost neutral or a failed main lug - especially if the lights in the dead half glow dim or things brighten when you turn something else off. That combination can damage every appliance in the house. Shut the main off and call.
Water at the panel
Never touch a wet panel. Stay off wet floors near it. Call the utility to cut service, then call us for the make-safe and repair.
Breaker will not reset
Unplug everything on that circuit and try once. Still tripping means a fault in the wiring. Leave it off - our breaker guide explains why repeated resets are the dangerous part.
What we do when we get there
Isolate, test, find the actual fault, make it safe the same visit, and quote the permanent fix flat before we do it. Emergency pages by city: Baltimore, Columbia, Frederick.