Act now
Stop: water and electrical equipment
Do not touch the panel, outlets or cords if there is water nearby. After flooding, keep the power off until a licensed electrician inspects it.
Why this happens
ESFI warns never to touch a breaker or fuse with wet hands or while standing on a wet surface, and to keep power off after flooding until an electrician has inspected the system. CDC says not to turn power back on until a qualified electrician has inspected the equipment and everything is completely dry.
Do this now
- Get out of any standing water that may be touching outlets, cords or the panel, and keep everyone else out of it.
- Do not touch the panel or any breaker if you are wet or standing on a wet surface.
- If water is near the meter or service equipment outside, stay away and call your utility.
- Call a licensed electrician. Keep the power off until it has been inspected and dried.
- Do not use wet appliances until an electrician says they are safe.
What to tell the licensed electrician
- How high the water reached and whether it touched the panel, outlets or appliances.
- Which circuits were off when the water arrived.
- Whether the utility disconnected the service.
Build the full list: what to tell the licensed electrician.
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References (every fact above comes from one of these pages)
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