If your entire house has lost power, first check whether your neighbours also have no power. If it's just your property, go to your switchboard and check if the main switch or safety switch has tripped. Try resetting it by flipping it off and back on. If it trips again immediately, you have a fault and need a licensed electrician.
What to do right now
- 1
Check if it's just your home
Look outside — are your neighbours' lights on? If the whole street is dark, it's a network outage. Contact your electricity distributor (Ausgrid, Energex, etc.) rather than an electrician.
- 2
Check your switchboard
Open the switchboard panel (usually near the front door, garage, or laundry). Look for any switches that have flipped to the middle or down position. This indicates a tripped breaker or safety switch.
- 3
Try resetting the main switch
Flip the main switch fully off, wait 10 seconds, then flip it back on. If it holds, your power should return. If it trips again immediately, there's a fault somewhere in your wiring or an appliance.
- 4
Call an emergency electrician
If the switch won't stay on, don't keep resetting it — this can be dangerous. Call a licensed electrician for diagnosis. After-hours electricians can usually attend within 60 minutes in metro areas.
When to call an emergency electrician
- ⚠️The main switch trips again immediately after resetting
- ⚠️You can smell burning or see scorch marks on the switchboard
- ⚠️The power went out with a loud bang or flash
- ⚠️You've checked the switchboard and nothing appears to be tripped
- ⚠️Your neighbours have power but you don't
- ⚠️The power outage happened during a storm and you suspect lightning damage
How much does it cost?
An after-hours emergency callout to diagnose a total power loss typically costs $250–$450 for the first hour. If the issue is a simple tripped breaker, the fix is quick. If faulty wiring or a damaged appliance is the cause, additional work may be quoted separately.