# I got a tingle or shock from a tap or appliance: what do I do? 1. [Home](https://arlite.co/) 2. [Support](https://arlite.co/support/) 3. [Electrical](https://arlite.co/support/electrical/) 4. 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By Amanda Cooper, Arlite Energy Last reviewed 30 October 2026 4 minute read **No DIY.** Electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician. Never open, repair, test or modify electrical equipment yourself, even if it looks simple. This guide explains what is happening; it is not a how-to. **On this page** 1. Why would a tap or appliance give me a tingle? 2. Who should I contact? 3. What if it only happens when it is wet? 4. Should I see a doctor after a shock? 5. What should I avoid doing? 6. What to note for the network provider and electrician 7. Frequently asked questions If anyone has had a shock and is hurt or unwell, or you see smoke, sparks or a burning smell, leave the area and call 000. For a mild tingle from a tap or appliance, stop using it, keep everyone away from it, and contact your network provider’s faults line and then a licensed electrician. Call 000 if any of this applies Call **000** if anyone is injured, unconscious, in pain or having trouble breathing after a shock, or if you see smoke, sparks or flames. Leave the building if there is any sign of fire. Do not touch a person who may still be in contact with electricity. Do not touch the tap, appliance or anything wet around it, and keep children and pets well away. ## Why would a tap or appliance give me a tingle? Metal parts that should never carry electricity can become live if there is a fault in the appliance or in the wiring of the home. A tingle is a warning that electricity is reaching somewhere it should not. Even a mild one can be followed by a stronger shock, so it should never be shrugged off. The Electrical Safety Office Queensland has a page on shocks and tingles, and electricity network providers such as Ergon have urged people to report them immediately. In south-east Queensland the network provider is usually Energex, but check which one serves your address. ## Who should I contact? The Electrical Safety Office advises contacting your electricity network provider, whose faults line operates around the clock, as the first call for a tingle or shock. After that, a licensed electrician needs to find the fault. In Queensland, electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician, and the Electrical Safety Office Queensland is the regulator. Finding the source of a shock is electrical work, so do not try to trace the fault yourself. If you rent, tell your landlord or agent promptly as well. ## What if it only happens when it is wet? Moisture can make a fault much more dangerous, and a tingle that appears during rain or in a wet area is still a warning. Do not use that tap or appliance again to see if it repeats. Write down that it happened in wet conditions, because it helps the licensed electrician look in the right place. Warn everyone in the home so nobody else touches it in the meantime, including visitors and children who may not understand the risk. ## Should I see a doctor after a shock? Yes. Seek medical advice after any shock, even if you feel fine. Electricity can affect the body in ways that do not show straight away, and a doctor can check you over. ## What should I avoid doing? - Do not touch the tap or appliance again to see if it still happens. - Do not let children or pets near it. - Do not assume the fault has gone away because the tingle stopped. - Do not try to fix the appliance, the tap or any wiring, even if the problem looks small. If the item is a plug-in appliance, leave it where it is and keep away from it until a licensed electrician or the appliance maker has checked it. ## What to note for the network provider and electrician 1. What and where — Note exactly which tap or appliance gave the tingle, and which room it is in. 2. When it happened — Write down the time, and whether it was raining or the area was wet. 3. How it felt — Describe the sensation and whether anyone else has noticed it in other places in the home. 4. Labels and displays — Photograph the make and model label of any appliance involved, from a safe distance and without handling it. ## Frequently asked questions - It can be, because a tingle suggests electricity is reaching a place it should not. Stop using the tap, keep everyone away from it and contact your network provider's faults line and a licensed electrician. - Call 000 if anyone is hurt or unwell, or there is smoke, sparks or fire. For a tingle with no injuries, the Electrical Safety Office advises contacting your network provider, then a licensed electrician. - Medical advice is recommended after any shock, even if you feel fine, because electricity can cause effects that do not show straight away. - No. Finding and fixing the cause is electrical work that must be done by a licensed electrician in Queensland. - Tell your landlord or agent promptly in addition to contacting your network provider, so that a licensed electrician can be arranged. [Learn about Electrical](https://arlite.co/services/electrical/) ## Official guidance For the rules and safety information that apply to your home, go to the regulators and industry bodies directly. - [Electrical Safety Office Queensland](https://www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au/) - [Energex](https://www.energex.com.au/) Was this helpful? Written by the team at Arlite Energy, a Brisbane business that designs and installs solar, air conditioning and electrical work for homes and businesses. We write these guides in plain English so you know what is happening in your home. ## Related articles - [ElectricalWhat do I do in an electrical emergency, fire or shock?For fire, smoke, sparks, a shock or anyone hurt, get everyone out and call 000, and do not touch the equipment or the person.](https://arlite.co/support/electrical/electrical-emergency-what-to-do/) - [ElectricalBurning smell or hot power point: what to do right nowFor a burning smell, smoke, sparks or a hot power point, keep away; call 000 for fire or sparks and a licensed electrician urgently otherwise.](https://arlite.co/support/electrical/burning-smell-hot-power-point/) - [ElectricalHow do I know if my appliances are safe?Look for damage and warning signs, check recall notices and the RCM mark, and have secondhand items checked by a licensed electrician.](https://arlite.co/support/electrical/are-my-appliances-safe/) - [ElectricalCan I do my own electrical work in Queensland?No: in Queensland electrical work must generally be done by a licensed electrician, with only narrow exceptions for minor tasks.](https://arlite.co/support/electrical/diy-electrical-work-legal-queensland/) ## Still stuck? Tell us what is going on and we can arrange a call-out. [Book a call-out](https://arlite.co/contact/) On this page 1. Why would a tap or appliance give me a tingle? 2. Who should I contact? 3. What if it only happens when it is wet? 4. Should I see a doctor after a shock? 5. What should I avoid doing? 6. What to note for the network provider and electrician 7. Frequently asked questions --- **Arlite Energy**, Unit 1, 1468 Anzac Avenue, Kallangur QLD 4503. Phone [(07) 3062 9299](tel:+61730629299), email [info@arlite.co](mailto:info@arlite.co). Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm. Page: https://arlite.co/support/electrical/tingle-shock-from-tap-or-appliance/ Site index for agents: [llms.txt](https://arlite.co/llms.txt), [sitemap](https://arlite.co/wp-sitemap.xml), [developer resources](https://arlite.co/developers/).