Storm Electrical Safety Checks for Cannington Homes

After a winter storm in Cannington, the safest first step is simple: stay away from damaged powerlines, wet switchboards, flooded outdoor power points and anything that smells burnt or looks heat damaged. Some storm damage is obvious, but moisture inside fittings, tripped RCDs and damaged underground or overhead supply equipment can be harder to spot.

If you can see a fallen or damaged powerline, follow Western Power’s damaged powerline advice and stay at least eight metres away. For immediate danger, call 000. For local faults inside your property, a licensed electrician can check the switchboard, RCDs, outdoor circuits and affected fittings before power is used again.

Quick checks you can do without touching wiring

Walk around only where it is safe and dry. Look for visible damage from the ground, without opening electrical equipment or moving debris near wires.

Check for:

• Lights flickering after power returns
• RCDs or circuit breakers that trip again after reset
• Burning smells near the switchboard, meter box, power points or appliances
• Outdoor lights, pumps or power points that stopped working after rain
• Water stains, rust, cracking or loose covers around exterior fittings
• Branches, fences or roof materials touching electrical service lines

DFES storm guidance also advises people to avoid storm-damaged areas and stay away from fallen trees, powerlines and damaged infrastructure after severe weather. That is especially relevant around homes near main roads, older trees and small commercial properties around Cannington.

When to call Western Power, 000 or an electrician

Call 000 if there is fire, electric shock, immediate danger, or a powerline hazard putting people at risk.

Call Western Power for damaged street-side supply equipment, fallen or low powerlines, damaged green domes, or network outages.

Call a licensed electrician when the issue appears to be on your property, such as a tripping safety switch, water-affected outdoor lighting, a damaged private switchboard, burnt smells, or circuits that will not safely reset. Our emergency electrical service can help with urgent faults in Cannington and nearby suburbs.

Why storms often trigger electrical faults

Winter storms can push water into places that normally stay dry. Wind can loosen exterior fittings, drive rain into old seals, move roof sheets, or damage conduit and cable entries. Once moisture reaches a circuit, your RCD may trip to reduce shock risk.

Do not keep resetting a safety switch if it trips repeatedly. A one-off trip during wild weather can happen, but repeated tripping usually means a fault needs proper testing. The fault may be in an appliance, outdoor light, pump, power point, cable joint or switchboard component. Our electrical fault finding service is set up for this kind of diagnosis.

Switchboard signs that need attention

Your switchboard is worth checking from the outside after heavy wind and rain. Do not remove covers or touch internal parts.

Arrange an inspection if you notice:

• Water inside or around the meter box
• A buzzing sound from the switchboard
• Heat marks, melting or a burnt smell
• Old ceramic fuses struggling with modern loads
• Breakers or RCDs that will not reset
• Labels so poor that you cannot isolate problem circuits

Older homes and mixed residential-commercial properties around Cannington, Queens Park and Bentley can have additions from different eras. If the board is crowded, poorly labelled or missing modern safety protection, a switchboard upgrade may be safer than repeated patch repairs.

Do not use wet appliances or outdoor outlets

If an appliance, extension lead, power board, outdoor power point or lighting fitting has been wet, leave it unplugged until it is checked. Water and electricity are a bad mix, and damage can remain after the surface looks dry.

This is especially important for patio lighting, garden power, shed circuits, pool equipment, bore pumps, roller doors and small business signage. If a circuit feeds outdoor equipment and keeps tripping after rain, leave it off and get it tested.

Safety note

Electrical requirements can vary by property and work scope. Use a licensed WA electrical contractor for advice, fault finding, repairs and installation. Do not open switchboards, work on fixed wiring or handle damaged electrical equipment yourself.

Need a post-storm electrical check?

If your Cannington home or small business has storm-related tripping, burnt smells, damaged outdoor fittings or switchboard concerns, contact SwitchedOn Electrical. We will check the fault, explain the practical repair options, and help you get the affected circuits safe to use again.