Short answer: If you have sparking, a burning smell, a hot outlet or part of the house without power, call 602-835-5455 and we'll try to connect you with an independent electrical contractor who can respond. If there is fire, smoke or someone has been shocked, call 911 first.
When should you call an emergency electrician?
Treat these as urgent and stop using the affected circuit:
- A burning or hot-plastic smell from an outlet, switch, fixture or the panel
- Visible sparks, scorch marks or melted covers
- An outlet, switch or breaker that is hot to the touch
- Half the house has power and half doesn't (often a lost leg of service)
- A breaker that trips again immediately after you reset it
- Water in the panel or around wiring after a storm or leak
- A tingle or shock from a fixture, appliance or faucet
Call 911 for fire, smoke you can't trace, or anyone who has been shocked. Call your utility for downed lines or a whole-neighborhood outage: in most of the City of Maricopa that's Electrical District No. 3 (ED3).
What to do while you wait
- Turn off the affected breaker. If you smell burning at the panel itself, don't touch it; leave the area.
- Unplug appliances on the affected circuit.
- Keep children and pets away from the area.
- Don't reset a breaker more than once.
- Take photos if it's safe; they help the contractor diagnose the problem.
How emergency referrals work
Call 602-835-5455. The line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including nights, weekends and holidays. We'll ask your address and what you're seeing, then connect you with an independent contractor who is on call. How fast a contractor can arrive varies, especially late at night. Emergency call-out fees are set by the contractor; ask for the call-out fee and hourly rate before they head out.
How much is an emergency call-out?
Contractors set their own rates. Expect an after-hours or weekend call-out fee on top of normal labor, and ask for both numbers on the phone. Our electrician cost guide explains how pricing usually works.
Frequently asked questions
What is considered an electrical emergency?
Anything with heat, burning smells, sparks, shocks, water near wiring, or a partial power loss inside your home. A whole-street outage is a utility problem, not an electrician problem.
Can a handyman fix an electrical emergency?
No. Emergency diagnosis usually involves the panel or service and needs a licensed electrical contractor.
Is it safe to reset a breaker that keeps tripping?
Reset it once. If it trips again straight away, leave it off and get it looked at. See our guide: why does my breaker keep tripping?