Dozens of different factors can see you end up with no electricity in the house, and not all of these issues are home emergencies. Some of these problems are far easier to resolve than others, but you may be able to deal with the majority of electrical breakdowns. Some of the most common causes of power outages are listed below.
Did you pay your bills?
A common question to ask if your electricity has gone off. If you don’t pay your utility bills, your gas and electricity provider will cut your energy supply off. They should provide you with notice that they intend to disconnect you. Although energy firms are not renowned for providing excellent standards of customer service, they should be able to arrange instalment payments or help you get back on track with your bills before they cut you off.
You can get your electricity supply back on again by coming to an agreement with the power company. If you are unable to do so yourself, organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau can help you out.
Do you have a prepayment meter?
The problem with your electricity supply could be as simple as a lack of cash in the prepayment meter. Check that you have topped up the meter; if the meter has run out of money, your electrics should turn back on again the moment you put some more cash in it. If the meter is faulty, then contact your landlord or your energy supplier.
Is there a power cut?
If the electricity has gone off in your house, take a look outside. Are your neighbours also experiencing a power outage? If so, your local area may have lost its electricity supply. Your network operator may be able to give you a rough estimate of the length of the power cut.
You might be able to find information about local power cuts on the internet – if you managed to reach this webpage, you could see whether anyone in your local area is posting Twitter statuses about the electricity outage, or read updates from local energy suppliers.
Have your fuses tripped?
If your electricity cut out when you turned on a light switch or electrical appliance, this strongly suggests that your fuses have tripped. Fuses can trip at any time, however, so if you don’t know why you have no electricity supply, it’s worth taking a look at the fuse box.
When fuse boxes detect a problem, such as an unusual power surge, residual current devices (RCDs) ‘trip’ and cut off the power supply to the rest of the house. All your switches should be pointing upwards; if one is down, then flick it back on again. You may also have to switch the main fuse back up as well.
If you flick the switch and it won’t stay upright, then the faulty switch or appliance may still plugged in and turned on, and your RCDs are still trying to protect you. Unplug the broken appliance or turn off the faulty switch and try again. For more information, read “My fuse box keeps tripping – help!”
Can’t resolve the problem?
If you can’t fix the problem yourself, there may be something wrong with your electricity supply, and you will need the help of a qualified, Part P-approved electrician. Contact 247 Home Rescue for emergency electrical repairs or home emergency cover.
Don’t attempt to make any changes to your electricals if you are unsure or not confident. Some electrical work in the home requires compliance with Part P building control and needs to be done in accordance with BS7671 wiring regulations. Don’t forget – electricity is VERY dangerous and can kill you.
Instead, call 24|7 Home Rescue on 0345 3192 247 and we can help. Our technical teams will run through some very simple troubleshooting with you over the phone to see if your problem can be resolved easily and if not, they will book one of our qualified and highly knowledgeable Part P certified engineers to get you back up and running as soon as possible.
Elecricity gone off? It could be for a number of reasons so read on to find out what you should do
Avoiding home emergencies in black-outs
If your home is still safe and sound, but the electricity isn’t working, then you will have to change your habits slightly to protect your family’s wellbeing. You’ll need another light source – torches and flashlights are clearly safer than candles and open flames – and might need to prepare a meal. It is far safer to eat out or order take-away than to attempt to cook in a power cut.
When the power is out, go around your house and check that your cookers, grills and other heating appliances are turned off and are cleared of debris. Turn everything unnecessary off, if possible, as things that are switched on will start working again when the power comes back, which could lead to fire or electric shock.
Contact us to learn more about our specialised cover which is designed to protect you in the event of an emergency electrical breakdown on 01254 3555535 or visit our website for more information.
To protect your little one’s from the electrics, we’ve designed a help guide on child-proofing the home which you can find here.
247 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any injuries or damages you sustain following the advice on this website. If in doubt, seek professional assistance.
