We inspect before we quote
No phone-estimate guessing – we look at the actual panel and wiring first.
What counts as an electrical emergency
Burning smell or sparking
A burning smell from an outlet, switch, or the panel itself – or sparking when you plug something in or flip a switch
Won't reset
A breaker that trips immediately and won't reset
Partial power loss
Part of the house with no power while the rest is fine
Any of these is worth a call the same day, not a wait-and-see. A breaker that trips once and resets fine is usually not an emergency; a breaker, outlet, or panel that shows heat, smell, or sound is.
What we check first
We start at the panel – loose or overheated connections there cause a disproportionate share of the calls we get. From the panel we trace out to the affected circuit, checking connections, breakers, and any obvious damage before recommending a fix. If the problem traces back to Hydro Ottawa's side of the service (a wider-area outage, for example), we'll tell you that directly instead of quoting work you don't need.
Storm and outage emergency calls
Ottawa's grid has taken real damage in recent years – the May 2022 derecho knocked out power to roughly 180,000 Hydro Ottawa customers and damaged more than 400 hydro poles, with some individual homes without power for close to two weeks because of damage to their own electrical systems, not just the street-level grid. After a bad storm, a service mast, meter base, or panel that took a hit needs a look before power is restored to it – that's a call we take seriously.
Why choose Electrical Services Ottawa for an emergency call
We diagnose before we quote
An emergency call gets a real assessment, not a guess over the phone.
ESA-permitted repairs
Panel and service repairs are notified to the ESA where the work requires it.
Plain-language explanation
You'll know what failed and why before we fix it.
What to expect
Written quote, no surprises
The price is confirmed before work starts.
ESA-notified work
Handled as part of the job when it's required.
Cleaned up when we're done
We leave the site the way we found it.
Emergency Electrician FAQs
How fast can you get to me?
Call and describe the problem – a burning smell or sparking gets priority over a single tripped breaker. We'll give you a realistic window based on your location and what's happening.
Should I shut off the main breaker first?
If you smell burning or see sparking and can safely reach the main breaker, shutting it off is reasonable. If reaching it means walking through smoke or standing water, don't – call us or 911 instead.
Is this covered by my home insurance?
That depends on your policy and the cause. We can give you a factual description of what failed for your claim, but coverage decisions are between you and your insurer.
Do you charge more for emergency calls?
Urgent calls outside normal scheduling may carry a different rate than routine work – we'll tell you upfront before starting.