Storm Season Electrical Checklist for Cairns Homes

Storm season in Far North Queensland is hard on electrics: lightning, heavy rain, humidity, power cuts and the surge when it all comes back on. A bit of preparation before the wet makes a real difference. Here’s a checklist, split into what you can do yourself and what needs a licensed electrician.

What you can check yourself

1. Test your safety switches. Safety switches (RCDs) are the ones with a small “T” or “Test” button on the switchboard. Press it. The switch should trip straight away. Reset it, and do this about every three months. If it doesn’t trip, it isn’t protecting you and needs an electrician.

2. Know where your main switch is. Everyone in the house should know how to turn the power off at the board in an emergency.

3. Have a look at the board. Is it dry, clean and free of insects, rust or corrosion? Coastal air and humidity are hard on boards, especially outdoor ones on the Northern Beaches. A door that doesn’t seal properly is worth fixing.

4. Check outdoor power points and lights. Look for cracked covers, missing seals and signs of water getting in. Water and electricity is the classic wet-season problem.

5. Take stock of what’s plugged in. Fridges, freezers, air conditioners, TVs, computers, routers and smart devices are the things a surge takes out. Know what you’d be replacing.

6. Check your power boards. Replace any that are old, damaged, or have taken a serious hit. Don’t daisy-chain them.

7. Look at your insurance. Know what’s covered and what the excess is. Cover for surge damage varies between policies.

What to leave to an electrician

• Surge protection at the switchboard. A whole-home surge protection device protects every circuit, including the hardwired ones a power board can’t reach. It’s a licensed job, and it’s best done before the storms, not after.
• A board that’s old. Ceramic fuses, no safety switches, a warm board, tripping that won’t stop: these are signs it’s due for an upgrade.
• Anything that trips repeatedly, especially after rain. See why your power keeps tripping.
• Anything that smells, buzzes, feels warm or has scorch marks. Turn it off and call.

When a storm hits

• Stay away from anything damaged or wet, and don’t touch fallen power lines. Report them to Energy Queensland.
• If you’re heading out and know a storm is coming, unplugging sensitive gear can help. It won’t help with hardwired appliances, and it doesn’t replace protection at the board.
• Don’t flip everything back on at once when the power returns, and be aware that a surge can come with the restoration.
• If a safety switch trips and won’t reset, don’t force it. Something is wrong.

After a storm

Look and listen before you switch things on. If an appliance won’t start, has odd lights or a burnt smell, or a safety switch keeps tripping, leave it off and get it checked. If you’ve had storm damage, take photos before you touch anything, as insurers often ask.

If you’d like to know what a surge could cost you in your own home, the 30-second check estimates the value at risk and gives you a fixed price to protect it.