Getting a Tingle or Shock From a Tap, Shower or Appliance: What to Do (QLD)
It usually happens in the shower or at the kitchen sink. You touch the tap and feel a buzz, like pins and needles. It’s over in a second, so it’s tempting to put it down to static, or to wait and see if it happens again.
Don’t. A tingle is a small electric shock, and it means electricity is somewhere it shouldn’t be. This guide explains exactly what to do, in order, why the usual advice to “turn it off at the switchboard” doesn’t apply here, what Energex will do when it arrives, and who pays for the repair. It’s written for Queensland homeowners, renters and unit owners.
What to do right now
- Stop touching it and keep everyone away. Energex says not to touch it again, to stay well clear of the area and to warn others. That includes kids, pets and anyone about to have a shower.
- Don’t touch the switchboard, meter box, other taps or appliances. Energex asks you not to touch the meter box, switchboard, appliances or metal fixtures such as taps until its crew has made the property safe.
- Call Energex on 13 19 62. It’s the 24/7 emergency line for South East Queensland. The Electrical Safety Office’s shocks and tingles page says to contact your distributor immediately: “they will make the situation safe and investigate the cause.”
- Get medical advice for whoever felt it. The ESO warns: “Even if you feel ok, an electric shock can have serious delayed effects.”
- Call 000 if anyone is injured, unconscious, burnt, confused or has chest pain.
If someone is still being shocked
This is the one exception. If a person is stuck to a live tap, appliance or cord, the ESO’s emergency guidance is: don’t touch them, turn the power off if you can, and if you can’t, separate them from the source with something non-conductive, such as a wooden broom handle. Never use anything metal. Call 000 and start CPR if they aren’t breathing. The St John Ambulance fact sheet says to hold any burns under cool running water for 20 minutes, and to get medical assessment even after a mild shock, because of possible effects on the heart.
What Energex does when it arrives
Energex’s shocks and tingles page sets out the process:
- A crew comes out to investigate the cause and make the area safe.
- You need to be there when they arrive, and they ask you to secure any dogs.
- They may disconnect your power until it is safe to reconnect.
- If it’s a network problem, the crew repairs it at no cost to you.
- If it’s on your property, the owner or landlord must organise and pay for repairs, and Energex will recommend you contact a licensed electrical contractor immediately.
So the call to Energex comes first, not the call to an electrician. They can check the supply side, which an electrician can’t touch, and tell you which side of the meter the problem is on.
Why taps and showers give tingles
The official pages tell you what to do, but not why it happens. From our experience on the tools, these are the usual causes. Only testing on site can tell which one it is.
| Likely cause | What’s going on | Who fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Faulty neutral connection | The neutral is the return path for current. If its connection deteriorates, some current can take another path to earth, including through metal water pipes, and you feel it at the tap | Energex if it’s on the network or service line; an electrician if it’s in your switchboard or wiring |
| Earthing or bonding fault | The earth connection or the bond to metal pipework is loose, corroded or missing, so a fault isn’t safely carried away | Licensed electrician |
| Faulty appliance | Damaged internal insulation in a washing machine, dishwasher, kettle or hot water system can make its metal case live | Licensed electrician or appliance repairer |
| Damaged wiring | A screw, nail or rodent has damaged a cable near pipes or a fixture, or old insulation has broken down | Licensed electrician |
Energex says tingles can come from appliances, power points, light switches and metal taps inside and outside the property, and from metal structures such as sheds, roofs, gutters and pool ladders. If you feel one at the pool, keep everyone out of the water and call Energex. Our pool and spa electrical guide covers what’s involved there, and our pool and spa electricians handle the repair.
Won’t my safety switch protect me?
A safety switch (RCD) is designed to cut power quickly when it detects current leaking to earth, such as through a person. It’s the most important protection in your switchboard, but it has limits. It only protects the circuits it’s connected to, and a fault on the supply side, such as a neutral problem in the street or service line, sits upstream of it. That’s why a tingle can happen in a house with working safety switches. It’s also why a tingle is a warning to act on now, before the fault gets worse.
Once the cause is fixed, it’s worth confirming your safety switches actually trip in time. Pressing the test button only shows the mechanism works; a safety switch test with instruments checks the trip time. See also our guide to RCDs vs RCBOs.
Call Energex on 13 19 62 immediately if
- You feel a tingle from any tap, shower, sink, metal fixture or pool fitting
- An appliance gives you a shock or tingle
- Lights dim or brighten strangely at the same time as a tingle
- A shed, roof, gutter, fence or pool ladder gives you a tingle
Call 000 if anyone is injured or still in contact with the source.
Who pays: owners, renters and unit owners
Energex is clear that if the cause is on the property, the owner or landlord must organise and pay for repairs.
- Renters: call Energex first, then tell your property manager or landlord straight away, in writing. It’s an urgent safety issue, not routine maintenance. Landlords can read our guide to landlord electrical safety checks in QLD.
- Unit owners: who pays depends on where the fault is. Wiring and earthing inside your lot are usually yours; common property infrastructure is usually the body corporate’s. Our body corporate vs unit owner guide explains the split.
- Homeowners: if it’s your side of the meter, it’s your repair. Get a licensed electrician to find the actual cause, not just swap the tap or appliance.
Whatever the cause, the repair is electrical work that must be done by a licensed electrician. Don’t try to fix an earth or neutral connection yourself. Our guide to what you can legally do yourself in QLD explains why.
What we do after Energex has been
When Energex finds the problem is on the property side, our job is to find the actual fault, not the symptom. That usually means testing the main earth and its connection, checking the bond to metal water pipes, testing the neutral connections in the switchboard, and checking the insulation on circuits and appliances near where the tingle was felt. That’s fault finding with proper test instruments, and you get a certificate of testing for the repair.
Older homes are more likely to have tired earthing and connections. If yours is several decades old, our guide to common electrical problems in older QLD homes is worth a read. If an appliance was the cause, we can also check your other appliances through our appliance safety inspections.
Tingles in Gold Coast homes
Two local factors come up again and again. Salt air corrodes earth connections and outdoor fittings faster in coastal suburbs like Palm Beach, Miami and Tugun. Many pools and outdoor taps in suburbs like Elanora, Currumbin Waters and Mermaid Waters sit close to pumps, lights and wiring. Neither means a tingle is “normal”. Both mean it’s worth taking seriously the first time.
For other situations that need urgent action, see what counts as an electrical emergency. If Energex sends you to an electrician after hours, our 24/7 emergency service covers the southern Gold Coast.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a tingle from my shower or tap?
A tingle means a small current is flowing through the metal fixture and you. Common causes include a faulty neutral connection on the network or in the property, a loose or corroded earth or bond to the water pipes, a faulty appliance, or damaged wiring. Only testing can tell which, so call Energex on 13 19 62 first.
Who do I call if I get a tingle from a tap in Queensland?
In South East Queensland, call Energex on 13 19 62, 24 hours a day. Queensland's Electrical Safety Office says to contact your distributor immediately, and they will make the situation safe and investigate the cause. Call 000 if anyone is injured or still in contact with the source.
Should I turn off the power at the switchboard after a tingle?
No. The Electrical Safety Office says not to turn off your power because you may get an electric shock from the switchboard. Energex also asks you not to touch the meter box, switchboard, appliances or metal taps until its crew has made the property safe. The exception is if someone is being shocked and you can safely cut the power.
Is a small tingle dangerous?
Yes, it should be treated as urgent. Energex says a shock or tingle can cause serious injuries and death and needs to be fixed right away. A tingle shows electricity is somewhere it shouldn't be, and the fault behind it can get worse. Stop using the fixture or appliance and call Energex.
Should I see a doctor after a small electric shock?
Yes. The Electrical Safety Office warns that even if you feel okay, an electric shock can have serious delayed effects. St John Ambulance recommends medical assessment even after a mild shock because of possible effects on the heart. Call 000 for anyone who is unconscious, burnt, confused or has chest pain.
Does Energex charge to investigate a tingle?
Energex says that if the cause is a problem with the electricity network, its crew repairs it at no cost to you. If the cause is on the property, the owner or landlord must organise and pay for repairs, and Energex recommends contacting a licensed electrical contractor straight away.
I'm renting. Who pays to fix a tingle from the shower?
If Energex finds the fault is on the property, the owner or landlord is responsible for organising and paying for the repair. Call Energex first, then tell your property manager or landlord immediately in writing. Don't keep using the shower or fixture until it has been checked and repaired.
Why didn't my safety switch trip when I got a tingle?
A safety switch only protects the circuits connected to it, and it trips when it detects current leaking to earth above its rating. Some faults that cause tingles, such as a neutral problem on the supply side, sit upstream of your safety switches. Have the cause found, then get the safety switches tested for trip time.
Energex says the fault is on your side of the meter? Call us, 24/7. Byron will find the cause, make it safe and give you a fixed price before the repair starts.