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FAQ From Calgary Homeowners

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common questions people ask

Popular Questions

What counts as an electrical emergency?

An electrical emergency is anything that suggests overheating, arcing, or unsafe power conditions. Common examples include burning smells, smoke, sparking outlets, warm or discolored receptacles, buzzing from the panel, repeated breaker trips you can’t explain, or sudden partial power loss.

If you’re unsure, the safest rule is: if it smells hot, sounds wrong, looks damaged, or started suddenly, treat it as urgent. A quick diagnosis can prevent damage or a bigger repair later.

Related: Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

What should I do if I smell burning from an outlet or panel?

If you smell burning, treat it seriously.

• If it’s safe to do so, turn off the breaker for the affected area.

• Stop using the outlet/appliance immediately.

• If you see smoke or flames, call emergency services.

Do not ignore a burning smell. It can be a sign of overheating wiring, a failing device, or a loose connection, and those don’t fix themselves.

Related: Contact Crew Electrical Services

What should I do if an outlet or switch is sparking?

A quick tiny spark can happen occasionally when plugging something in, but sparking at the outlet/switch face, sparking that repeats, popping sounds, or any scorch marks are not normal.

• Stop using it.

• If safe, turn off the breaker for that circuit.

• Don’t “test it again” to see if it still sparks.

Sparking can indicate arcing, loose connections, moisture, or a damaged device, all of which should be corrected by a licensed electrician.

Related: Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

Why did I lose power to part of my house?

Partial power loss usually means one of these:

• A breaker tripped

• A GFCI tripped and cut downstream outlets

• A failing breaker or loose connection

• A utility issue affecting one “leg” of power (this can cause odd symptoms like some lights working and others not)

Check your panel for a tripped breaker and check nearby GFCIs. If breakers won’t reset, or you have weird mixed power issues, it’s time to call. Those situations can be unsafe.

Related: Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

My breaker keeps tripping. Is it dangerous?

It can be. Breakers trip for a reason: overload, short circuit, ground fault, or failing equipment.

If it trips once because you ran too many things at the same time, that’s often an overload. If it trips repeatedly, trips immediately, or trips after a smell/heat/sparking issue, don’t keep resetting it. That can turn a warning into damage.

Related: Electrical Panel Upgrades in Calgary and Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

A breaker won’t reset. What does that mean?

A breaker that won’t reset usually indicates an active fault (short/ground fault), a damaged breaker, or a problem on the circuit that needs to be found and repaired.

If you reset and it immediately trips again, stop trying. The safe next step is professional troubleshooting to isolate the cause and prevent overheating or further damage.

Related: Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

What should I do if there’s water near electrical outlets or the panel?

Water and electricity are a bad combo, and the universe doesn’t do refunds.

• Do not touch outlets, panels, cords, or appliances if there’s standing water or you’re wet.

• If you can safely reach it without crossing water, shut off power (main breaker). If you can’t do that safely, don’t.

• Call a licensed electrician before restoring power to affected areas.

Moisture can damage devices and wiring even after it dries, so it’s worth getting checked before you “see if it’s fine.”

Related: Contact Crew Electrical Services

My lights are flickering and I hear buzzing. Should I shut power off?

Flickering lights can be simple (bulb/fixture), but flickering + buzzing (especially from the panel) can indicate a loose connection or failing component.

If the buzzing seems to be coming from the panel, or if you notice heat, burning smell, or visible damage, it’s reasonable to shut off the affected breaker if you can identify it safely. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, don’t guess. Call an electrician.

Related: Electrical Panel Upgrades in Calgary and Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

My GFCI outlet won’t reset. What should I do?

A GFCI that won’t reset can mean there’s a ground fault, moisture, a wiring issue, or the device itself has failed.

• Unplug everything on that circuit.

• Try reset once.

• If it won’t reset, leave it and book troubleshooting.

GFCIs are safety devices. If it’s refusing to reset, it’s telling you something.

Related: Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair

What happens when I call for urgent electrical service?

Crew Electrical Services will ask what you’re seeing (smell/sparks/no power/heat), confirm the address and access, and prioritize the safest next steps. When the electrician arrives, they’ll diagnose the issue, explain what caused it, and provide clear options to repair it safely and bring the system back to code where needed.

If you need urgent help, you can start here: Contact Crew Electrical Services