Ontario Homeowners · Electrical Safety
Electrical Safety in Hamilton Homes
How to spot an electrical problem early, what to do in the first few minutes, and how to check that the contractor you hire is actually licensed to do the work.
Quick answer
Good electrical safety starts with who you hire. In Ontario, anyone you hire to do electrical work must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor with an ECRA/ESA licence. The contractor files a notification with the Electrical Safety Authority before the work starts or within 48 hours of starting. Warm or blackened outlets, repeated breaker trips, flickering lights and burning smells are signs to call a licensed electrician.
Choose Your Electrical Contractor Wisely
Electricity is not a hobby, and electrical safety starts with the person you hire. Poor electrical work can cause fires, shocks and insurance problems that only show up years later, often when you try to sell or make a claim.
A handyman or general contractor without an ECRA/ESA licence cannot legally be paid to do electrical work in Ontario. Homeowners may do some work in a house they own and live in, but only with their own notification filed with ESA, and the work is still inspected.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| ECRA/ESA licence number | Ask for it, then look it up using the ESA contractor locator. Apollo Electric's number is 7009372. |
| ESA notification | Ask whether the contractor will file it. A licensed contractor should, before the work starts or within 48 hours of starting. |
| ESA certificate | Where notification applied, the job should close with a certificate of inspection. Keep it for your insurer or a future buyer. |
| WSIB coverage | If an uncovered worker is injured on your property, the liability can fall on you. Ask for a WSIB clearance certificate. |
| Written quote | Itemised, before work starts, including any ESA fee. |
Electrical Safety Warning Signs in Your Home
- Outlets or switch plates that are warm, discoloured or blackened
- Sparks when you plug something in
- A burning or hot plastic smell with no clear source
- Breakers that trip again and again, or fuses that keep blowing
- Lights that flicker or dim when appliances turn on
- Buzzing or crackling from outlets, switches or the panel
- A fuse box, knob and tube wiring, or aluminum wiring that has never been inspected
Electrical Safety in the First Few Minutes
- Smoke or flames? Leave the building and call 911. Do not try to fight an electrical fire with water.
- Hot or burning outlet? Do not touch it. If you can reach the panel safely, switch off the breaker for that circuit.
- Whole house out? Check whether neighbours have power. If they do not, it is likely a utility outage. Call Alectra Utilities in Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster and Stoney Creek, or Burlington Hydro in Burlington.
- Part of the house out? Check the panel for a tripped breaker and reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call an electrician.
- Call us. Apollo Electric answers 24/7 on 905-921-5487.
Electrical Safety Tips for Ontario Homes
- Test your GFCI outlets monthly. Press TEST and the outlet should lose power. Press RESET to restore it. If it does not trip, have it replaced.
- Use weatherproof covers on every outdoor outlet.
- Install tamper-resistant outlets if you have young children.
- Do not run cords under rugs or pinch them behind furniture, and replace any cord that is cracked or frayed.
- Do not overload outlets with stacked power bars and adapters.
- Test smoke alarms monthly and replace them every 10 years.
- Get an inspection when you buy an older home, finish a renovation, or add a large load like a hot tub, heat pump or EV charger.
Electrical Safety Inspections and Certificates
Apollo Electric inspects homes and provides documentation for rental licensing, insurance and home sales. Where we find code violations, we explain them and correct them. See our residential electrical services for the full list of work we do, or our electrical tips and guides for more detail on specific problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a handyman do electrical work in Ontario?
No. Anyone paid to do electrical work in Ontario must hold an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor licence.
Who files the ESA notification?
The licensed contractor doing the work files it. A homeowner doing work in their own home files their own.
How do I check an electrician's licence?
Ask for the ECRA/ESA licence number and search it on the Electrical Safety Authority website before you hire.
Is a tripping breaker dangerous?
A breaker that trips once may just be an overloaded circuit. A breaker that keeps tripping is telling you something is wrong. Leave it off and call an electrician.
Apollo Electric serves Hamilton, Dundas, Ancaster, Waterdown, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Burlington, Oakville and Milton, plus Cambridge, Kitchener-Waterloo and the Greater Toronto Area. If you are just outside that list, call anyway. It is often still workable, and we will tell you honestly if it is not.
Contact and Service Details
Apollo Electric Inc.
83 Ferndale Ave, Hamilton, ON L8K 4L7
Phone: 905-921-5487 (24/7 emergency)
Email: zvonkoapollo@gmail.com
Non-emergency hours: 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, evening and weekend service available
ECRA/ESA 7009372 · ESA Authorized Contractor Program · WSIB compliant · Fully licensed and bonded · Over 30 years
To book non-urgent work or request an estimate, use our contact page.
Apollo Electric Inc. · ECRA/ESA 7009372 · Last updated 22 October 2026.