When you need an emergency electrician in Birmingham, AL, calling the number on this site connects you with a local electrician if one is available. After-hours and weekend help depends on which providers are participating and their schedules at that moment, so no specific response time can be promised.
911, the utility, or an electrician: who to call
Call 911 first for any fire, smoke that keeps coming, sparking that won't stop, or a person who has been shocked. If there's fire or heavy smoke, get out before you call. Call your electric utility for a downed line in the yard or street, a neighborhood outage, or damage to the wires between the pole and your house. Stay well away from any downed line and assume it's energized.
An electrician is the right call for problems on your side of the meter once the immediate danger is handled: a damaged meter base or mast after a storm, a panel that's buzzing or showing heat, a burned circuit, or partial power in the house. The utility often needs the meter base and service entrance repaired by an electrician before it will restore power.
Situations that usually count as urgent
- A tree or limb tore the service drop loose or bent the mast on the roof
- A burning smell from the panel, or a breaker that is hot or discolored
- Half the house lost power while the other half still works
- Water reached the panel, outlets or wiring after a storm or leak
- Repeated shocks from a fixture, appliance or faucet
Signs the situation is getting worse
- Smoke, visible scorching or melted plastic anywhere near wiring
- Lights brightening and dimming wildly across the house
- A breaker that won't reset or trips instantly
- A burning smell that grows stronger over time
What emergency electrical repair may involve
The first job is making the situation safe, which may mean shutting off the affected circuit or the main breaker, disconnecting damaged equipment, and confirming nothing is still heating. After that, the electrician decides whether a permanent repair can be done right away or whether a temporary safe condition makes more sense until parts, a permit or a utility reconnect can be arranged.
- Whether any circuit or device is still heating or arcing
- Condition of the main breaker, bus and service conductors
- Damage to the meter base, mast and weatherhead after storms
- Moisture in the panel or in boxes that were flooded
Safety first. If you smell burning or see smoke, don't go looking for the source. Leave and call 911. If you can reach the main breaker without standing in water or touching anything hot, switching it off can reduce risk, but never stay in the house to do it if there's fire. Keep children and pets away from downed lines and anything touching them, including fences and puddles. Never plug a portable generator into a house outlet; that can send power back onto utility lines.
How it usually works
Get safe, then call
Handle any 911 or utility calls first, then call to be connected with a local electrician if one is available.
Describe the danger clearly
Say what you see, smell or hear, and whether power is off to part or all of the house.
Make it safe
The electrician isolates the problem so the rest of the house can be used safely where possible.
Permanent repair
Repairs are completed or scheduled, including any inspection and reconnect the utility requires.
For Birmingham-area homes
Central Alabama sits in what's often called Dixie Alley, and Birmingham gets severe storms in spring and fall along with frequent lightning. The April 27, 2011 outbreak that struck Pleasant Grove and the January 2021 tornado that hit Fultondale and Center Point showed how widespread damage can get. After a big storm, many homes need electrical work at once, so it pays to know where your main breaker is now and to think about surge protection and backup power on a calm day.
Related electrical problems
Noticing one of these? Each guide explains likely causes and what's safe to check before you call about emergency electrician.