The Why and How of Turning off Your Home or Business Electricity
How to turn off home electricity is something everyone should know. We give you five situations in which home electricity should be turned off, plus step by step instructions on how to turn the electricity off in your home in Australia.
When to Turn Electricity Off
Firstly, mains power switches are not designed for repeated activations, so they should only be turned off when it is essential to do so.
Here are some situations in which you might need to turn off the electricity to your home:
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Flooding: In the case of flooding in the house caused by a storm, faulty plumbing or other reason turn your home's electricity off immediately. It's common knowledge that electricity and water have a relationship which is fatal to humans. Energy Safe Victoria recommend that in the case of flooding you should turn off all the switches in your switchboard, including the main power switch. Move all appliances higher to keep them out of water. If there has been flood water in your home, do not turn the power on without having your wiring checked by a licensed electrician. If any appliances have been wet, also have these checked by the electrician before use
- Fire: In case of fire – if you have time and it is safe - you should turn off the power before leaving.
- Entering the Ceiling or Crawl Space: Particularly in older homes, protection around wiring may be worn away or chewed by pests exposing live wires. Even newer houses may have poorly installed wiring or unprotected terminations.
- Away From Home: Should you turn off electricity when not in use? If you are going on a long holiday you might want to turn off the power to reduce the risk of an electrical fault with no one there to pick up on it. Some people do it to save power. Again, it is not suggested that you turn it off every short break or weekend away, just keep it to the long trips.
- Electrical Installation or Maintenance: In keeping with the law, an electrician will be doing this work won't they, and they will turn it off themselves.
How do you turn off the electricity in your home?
- Locate the switchboard: The switchboard is usually found in a basement, garage, utility room, or on an exterior wall of your home. It is a box with a hinged door.
- Open the electrical panel: Depending on the panel, you may need to unscrew or unlatch the door to access the interior. Be cautious, as the panel may have live wires inside even when the main power is turned off.
- Identify the main circuit breaker which is often labelled. If you can't identify which switch is the mains, you may need to turn off the switches one by one and try power in the house to identify what each one does. Often big appliances such as air conditioners and ovens are on their own circuit in newer switchboards. When you think you have identified which one is the mains power switch try power in several places in your house, including large appliances to ensure you have the correct switch.
- Switch off the main circuit breaker: Using caution and wearing appropriate protective gear, flip the main circuit breaker to the "Off" or "Down" position. This action should cut off power to the entire house.
- Verify power outage: To confirm that the power is off, you can check a few lights or appliances inside your home to see if they are working. Make sure to test multiple outlets or switches.
It's worth noting that the exact steps may vary depending on your electrical panel and setup. If you're unsure about any part of the process or if you're uncomfortable working with electricity, it's always best to consult a licensed electrician to handle the task safely.