BALLARAT STORM ADVICE -
Often in Ballarat and districts we experience a significant amount of rain or storms which can cause issues with the electricity in homes right across the city, mostly caused by water leaks from your roof, gutters, eaves, capping etc..
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE?
if you can do so safely, clean your guttering and ensure your stormwater drains are clear of leaves. - Call a professional to help if you cannot do this yourself. - Have a torch handy and charge your mobile phone.
EMERGENCY WORKS -
Please note as of 01/02/2020 We are no longer able offer a AFTER HOURS emergency service due to staffing reasons.
=> Has someone received an electrical shock or tingle? - DO NOT TRY TO FIX IT YOURSELF - Your first priority is to seek medical assistance for the person who received the shock - even if they are feeling ok. Next step is to ring Powercor 13 24 12 and advise them of the incident so that it can be investigated straight away.
Here are some safe DIY tips you can try to get your lights or power working again -
=> Have you lost power in some but not all of power circuits?? - Check your switchboard for tripped out circuits, if there is one tripped you may try and reset it however - safety switches will not reset until the fault has dried out. - You may need to leave the circuit off and run an extension lead from a working point to power your fridge. Once the leak has dried out, these is a good chance the fault will clear and the circuit will reset. Please note - If you have an old style fuse board with porcelain fuses these can be very dangerous to touch yourself - we recommend waiting until the morning then calling us to help you check/repair these safely.
=> Do you have any extension leads, appliances or outlets outside which aren't weather proof? - most emergency call outs we attend to are caused by outside electrical points which get wet. - If you have an issue with a tripped circuit, have a look outside and see if there is any extension leads or lights which are wet. - You might be able to easily unplug these yourself to eliminate the fault.
=> Lost all lighting and power ? - It might be a supply issue with the power lines in your street. - Just because your neighbours have power doesn't mean you do also - To check if you have power to your house - You can check Powercor's outage website - https://m.powercor.com.au/ outage-map - you can also download the app on your phone.
=> Is there water leaking through your ceiling? - call SES and your insurance company ASAP - the insurance company will have the appropriate trades and services ready to help you out with a "make safe".
=> Are you a tenant with an electrical fault? - Your first call must be to the realestate agent you rent through. They must approve all works prior to a electrician being engaged.
=> If you have damage to the electrical supply to your house - ie a tree has fallen on the line - you must call Powercor faults line immediately - 13 24 12