Electrical and heating safety at home

When the power goes off, first work out whether it is just your home or the whole street. A network outage is fixed by your electricity distributor, while a fault inside your home is a job for a licensed electrician. In Melbourne's west, Powercor supplies suburbs such as Altona Meadows, Point Cook, Werribee and Tarneit, and Jemena supplies areas such as Yarraville, Kingsville and West Footscray.

Safe first steps

1. 1Look at the neighbours' lights and the street lights. If they are off too, check your distributor's outage information; the faults number is on your electricity bill.
2. 2If only your home is off, check the main switch and the safety switches at the switchboard. Reset a tripped safety switch once, and if it won't reset, leave it off and call a licensed electrician.
3. 3Turn off and unplug appliances at the power point, so a surge doesn't damage them when the power comes back.
4. 4Use a torch rather than candles, and keep the fridge and freezer closed.

Energy Safe Victoria explains that a safety switch watches the electricity flowing through a circuit and turns the power off within 0.03 of a second when it detects a problem that may put someone at risk. A switch that keeps tripping is warning you about a fault, not being fussy. They are an extra layer of protection alongside circuit breakers and fuses, and they won't prevent every shock, so each one needs to be working.

Safe first steps

1. 1Unplug the appliances on the affected circuit and reset the switch once.
2. 2Plug the appliances back in one at a time. If one trips it, stop using that appliance.
3. 3If it trips with nothing plugged in, or won't reset, leave it off and call a licensed electrician.
4. 4Never tape, wedge or hold a safety switch or breaker on.
5. 5Press the test button on each safety switch every three months. It should cut the power; if it doesn't, the switch may have failed.

Sparks, crackling, scorch marks or a plate that feels warm mean a connection behind the point is loose, damaged or overheating. Energy Safe Victoria lists sparks from switches, power points and switchboards, old or broken points, flickering lights and old switchboards without a safety switch among the tell-tale signs of faulty wiring. It suggests having the wiring checked by a licensed electrician in any house more than 30 years old, which includes many of the post-war and older homes in Altona, Williamstown and Footscray.

Safe first steps

1. 1Stop using the point and switch it off.
2. 2Switch off that circuit at the switchboard if it is safe to reach.
3. 3Don't touch or try to repair a loose, cracked or broken point. Cover it so no one else uses it.
4. 4Don't run heaters or other heavy appliances from powerboards or double adaptors.
5. 5If there is smoke or fire, get everyone out of the house.

A hot plastic or fishy smell from a point, switch, light fitting, appliance or the switchboard means something is overheating. Energy Safe Victoria says fire brigades respond to more than 300 domestic electrical fires each year, many caused by old wiring that has degraded or can't cope with modern appliances. Treat the smell as a warning and find the cause before using that circuit again.

Safe first steps

1. 1If there is smoke, fire or immediate danger, get everyone out of the house.
2. 2If it is safe to reach, switch off that circuit or the main switch at the switchboard.
3. 3Unplug an appliance only if the plug and point aren't hot, sparking or damaged.
4. 4Leave the circuit off until a licensed electrician has found the cause.

Water from a roof leak, burst pipe, flooded laundry or leaking air conditioner can reach wiring, light fittings and the switchboard, and it can make fittings and wet surfaces live. The safest move is distance: keep people away from the water until the power to that area is off. Water through a ceiling light is a sign the wiring above needs checking, even after it dries.

Safe first steps

1. 1Keep everyone, including pets, away from the water and any wet fittings or appliances.
2. 2Don't touch switches, plugs or appliances with wet hands or while standing in water.
3. 3Switch off at the switchboard only if you can reach it without standing in water or touching anything wet. If you can't, stay clear.
4. 4Have the affected circuits tested by a licensed electrician before they go back on.

Storms bring down branches and powerlines, and lightning can push a surge through your wiring. Treat any fallen line as live. Energy Safe Victoria says to contact your local electricity distribution company about fallen or unsafe powerlines and damaged or leaning poles. A pole and line on your own property are usually part of your electrical installation, so the owner is responsible for them, including keeping trees clear.

Safe first steps

1. 1Stay well clear of fallen powerlines and anything they touch, such as fences, trees, cars or puddles.
2. 2Report fallen lines and damaged poles to your electricity distributor. The faults number is on your electricity bill.
3. 3During an outage, turn off and unplug appliances at the power point to protect them from a surge.
4. 4After the storm, check for tripped safety switches and reset each one once.
5. 5If a private pole or line on your property is damaged, the distributor reconnects it only after a licensed electrician has issued a Certificate of Electrical Safety.

Energy Safe Victoria warns that all gas heaters can spill carbon monoxide, a gas you can't see or smell that can make you seriously unwell or kill you. Victoria's health department lists tiredness, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, nausea and confusion among the symptoms. Energy Safe Victoria recommends having gas heaters serviced at least every two years by a qualified gasfitter, including a carbon monoxide test; heaters work hardest on cold July nights, so have it done before winter. Gas work is done by a licensed gasfitter; power, controls and wiring are electrical work.

Safe first steps

1. 1If anyone feels unwell while a gas heater is running, turn it off, get everyone into fresh air and seek medical help.
2. 2If you smell gas, don't use switches or naked flames nearby, and report it to your gas distributor. The faults number is on your gas bill.
3. 3Don't run the rangehood or bathroom exhaust fans while a gas heater is on. It can draw carbon monoxide into the room.
4. 4Watch for changes, such as a different flame colour, and stop using the heater until a qualified gasfitter has checked it. Take extra care with open-flued heaters, which spill carbon monoxide more easily.
5. 5A carbon monoxide alarm helps but never replaces servicing, and a hard-wired one must be installed by a licensed electrician.

Smoke alarms are compulsory in every Victorian home, on every storey and between the bedrooms and the rest of the house. Homes built after 1 August 1997 need alarms wired to mains power with a backup battery, and homes built, largely renovated or extended after 1 May 2014 need them interconnected so they all sound together. Alarms generally need replacing after about ten years, and newer units show an expiry date under the battery.

Safe first steps

1. 1Test each alarm every month: press and hold the test button until it beeps.
2. 2When an alarm chirps, change the battery. Anyone can change a smoke alarm battery.
3. 3Check the expiry date and replace any alarm that is past it.
4. 4Never take the battery out or disconnect an alarm to stop nuisance alarms.
5. 5Hard-wired alarms must be installed by a qualified electrician.

Energy Safe Victoria says it is illegal, and potentially fatal, for unlicensed and unqualified people to do any electrical or gasfitting work. Electrical work isn't a DIY job, even small jobs like changing power points or light switches. Under section 38 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998, a person must not carry out prescribed electrical work without the relevant licence. When a licensed electrician finishes electrical installation work, they must give you a Certificate of Electrical Safety.

Safe first steps

1. 1Things you can do: reset a tripped safety switch once, press the test buttons on your safety switches and change a smoke alarm battery.
2. 2Leave everything else to a licensed electrician, including power points, switches, light fittings, new circuits and anything inside the switchboard.
3. 3Ask to see the tradesperson's licence before work starts.
4. 4Ask for your Certificate of Electrical Safety when the work is finished.

Consumer Affairs Victoria lists a dangerous electrical fault, a gas leak, a loss of gas or electricity supply, heating, hot water or cooking that isn't working, a supplied cooling appliance that isn't working and a faulty safety device such as a smoke alarm as urgent repairs. Rental providers must do urgent repairs immediately, and must organise and pay for repairs unless the renter caused the problem. Since 29 March 2023, rentals must also have a modern switchboard with circuit breakers and safety switches.

Safe first steps

1. 1Tell your agent or rental provider in writing, with photos, and keep a copy.
2. 2Say what you've already checked, such as the switchboard and the heater's controller.
3. 3If they don't respond to an urgent repair request, Consumer Affairs Victoria explains how renters can arrange the repair themselves, up to a set limit, and be paid back.
4. 4Don't attempt electrical or gas repairs yourself, even in an urgent situation.
5. 5Rental providers: from 13 October 2026, the two-yearly electrical and gas safety checks apply to all rental agreements.