Water Coming Out Of Your Electric Socket Who Do You Call?

Who should you call first, the electrician or the plumber? If the electrician arrives first, will he deal with the water?

You should call both if you want to be safe. There is a problem with the plumbing, but water and electricity do not mix well, so you need an electrician. When the electrician arrives first, he will isolate the power, locate the stopcock and shut off the water supply.

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How do you deal with water coming out of a power socket?

If you can isolate the power supply from the consumer unit and switch it off at the main breaker, this will prevent anyone from receiving an electric shock.

If the plumber has not arrived, find the stopcock. In newer homes, it’s located outside close to a metre, or it can be under the kitchen sink.

However, for water to run out of an electrical socket, it is realistically a shower tray overflowing or the bath overflowing with the water running down the internal walls.

Once the problem is addressed, let the electrician do his work, he must isolate the circuit for everything to dry out.

In some cases, you may need to have a new socket fitted.

Can water in a plug socket cause a fire?

Fire is the least of your problems. If you have a wet socket, do not touch it under any circumstances until you are confident the electricity is switched off from the mains.

If there is water on the floor or a surface, do not touch the water, water conducts electricity, and you could get an enormous shock.

Can water in a socket cause a fire? It’s possible as the water could cause sparks. Your circuit breakers should trip as soon as they detect a spark situation in a modern home or one that has been recently rewired, but this depends on how up-to-date your RCBOs are.

How do you know if water is electrified?

You don’t; if you have a problem with your electric sockets and they are wet, and you have water laying on the floor or a surface, assume that it’s dangerous.

In any situation where there is a possibility of electric shock, you should always air on the side of caution and take any chances.

What happens if the plumber is the first to arrive?

Don’t worry. Plumbers are smart guys, and they will know to switch off the electricity to keep everyone safe until the electrician arrives.

The plumber can then identify the problem and provide you with a resolution. It’s rare for water pipes to be running close to electricity throughout the home, so it will be resolved quickly.

Should you let your plumber deal with the electrician? No, it’s a specialised job. Wait for the electrician to arrive and make the fixes.

Can you dry the socket with a hairdryer?

It sounds like a great idea but is it feasible? Well, your electricity is off from the mains, so you will not be able to fire up your hairdryer.

The electrician may say it’s ok to dry the socket off, and then again, he may say to leave it or replace it with a new socket just in case there is residual moisture that could cause a problem.

What happens if the extension cord gets wet?

It’s not ideal, but power cords may get wet in the kitchen. Power cords usually are well insulated.

If the power cord is old, you should be cautious and not assume it’s safe.

How do you dry out electrical connections?

If you have removed a socket or switch that is wet, first dry it with a cloth to absorb most of the water, and then you can blow warm air over the connectors until they are completely dry.

However, the problem is that the whole cable could still be wet from the water leak. Your walls will absorb most of the water spillage, but there could be residual water in the plastic conduit that will take days to dry out.

Is a wet socket only dangerous if I plug something into it?

Here is the problem. If the socket has water in or around it, you cannot predict what the electricity will do. It may track down the walls being completely harmless, or give you a fatal shock.

If your sockets are wet, don’t touch them. Let an electrician isolate the circuit and test if there are any potential problems.

What do you do if you accidentally spill liquid on a power strip?

Disconnect it from the wall socket immediately and then dispose of the strip, don’t wait for it to dry, don’t take the risk.

It is common to have power strips on the floor connecting something like a computer charger, and it’s easy to kick a drink over, and the next thing you know, it’s a potential disaster waiting to happen.

Isolate, and don’t use it again unless you know it’s 100% dry.

Why is my plug socket making a crackling noise?

It’s a bad connection, and the power is trying to arc across the terminals. It’s dangerous and could cause a fire.

Disconnect the circuit by switching the RCBO off for the circuit and let an electrician fix the problem.

Speak to your electrician regarding upgrading your RCBOs to include AFFD (arc fault detection device). They are part of the 18th edition wiring for your home, but you may not have them fitted.

The RCBO with AFFD can be a lifesaver.

Who should you call, an electrician or a plumber?

Hopefully, you will call both and resolve both issues, but if you are a confident DIY plumber, call an electrician.

You will not hear of anyone drowning from water coming from an electrical socket!

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