If you have power loss, smoke or a burning smell from electrical equipment, an air conditioner that has died in extreme heat, or a furnace failure overnight in freezing weather, call PRO Electric plus HVAC at 703.225.8222. The line is staffed 24/7 by a real person.
SAFETY FIRST. If you smell burning plastic, see sparks, hear arcing inside a wall or panel, or your carbon monoxide detector is sounding, leave the house, call 911 first, and call us once you and your family are clear of the home.
What Counts as an Electrical or HVAC Emergency in Northern Virginia
Not every issue is an emergency, and we will tell you honestly when something can wait until morning. Here is what genuinely needs a same night response.
Electrical Emergencies
- Total or partial loss of power that is not caused by a Dominion Energy outage
- A panel that is hot to the touch, smoking, or making a buzzing or popping sound
- Outlets, switches, or fixtures that are sparking or producing a burning smell
- Visible scorching or melting around outlets, switches, or the panel
- Repeated breaker tripping that will not reset, especially on circuits running essential equipment
- Storm damage to the service drop, mast, or interior wiring
- A failed exterior emergency shut off that leaves the home noncompliant during an active emergency
HVAC Emergencies
- An air conditioner that has stopped working when the indoor temperature is climbing past 85 degrees and someone in the home is medically vulnerable
- A furnace or heat pump failure when overnight temperatures are dropping below freezing
- Carbon monoxide alarm activation (call 911 first, then us)
- Gas furnace short cycling combined with any unusual smell
- Flooding around an HVAC unit, or condensate overflow that has reached living space
- Refrigerant leak with audible hissing or visible icing on the line set
Most other issues, even ones that feel urgent in the moment such as a single dead outlet or a thermostat that has frozen up, can usually wait until business hours without risk. We will help you triage on the phone before sending a truck.
Northern Virginia Service Area
PRO Electric plus HVAC dispatches from Falls Church and covers every major city and neighborhood across the four core Northern Virginia counties. Response windows are typically 60 to 90 minutes for top priority calls inside the Beltway, and 90 to 120 minutes farther out. We will give you an honest ETA when you call.
🔗 Already know which county you are in? Skip ahead.
Fairfax County
Coverage includes Fairfax City, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, McLean, Annandale, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton, Fair Oaks, Fairfax Station, Falls Church, Great Falls, Lorton, Mount Vernon, Oakton, and Springfield. Dedicated emergency electrical service pages cover Fairfax and Reston directly.
Arlington County
Coverage across Arlington including Ballston, Clarendon, Courthouse, Crystal City, Pentagon City, Rosslyn, Shirlington, Cherrydale, Lyon Park, Maywood, Halls Hill, High View Park, Glencarlyn, Columbia Heights, and Virginia Square. Our Falls Church emergency AC repair page covers cooling failures across the area, with neighborhood specific emergency heating repair pages for Ballston, Clarendon, Crystal City, Rosslyn, Shirlington, and the rest of the county.
Alexandria and the City of Falls Church
Full residential coverage for the City of Alexandria and the independent City of Falls Church. Start at Emergency Heating Repair Alexandria, VA for furnace and heat pump failures, or call directly for electrical emergencies.
Loudoun County
Coverage in Ashburn, Leesburg, Sterling, Dulles, South Riding, Brambleton, Lansdowne, Stone Ridge, Purcellville, Lovettsville, Hamilton, Round Hill, Middleburg, and Aldie.
Prince William County
Coverage in Manassas, Manassas Park, Woodbridge, Dale City, Gainesville, Haymarket, Lake Ridge, Bristow, Linton Hall, and Nokesville.
What Happens When You Call
When you reach our line, here is what to expect.
- A real person picks up. Not a robot, not a third party answering service. The line is staffed 24/7.
- We ask three questions. What is happening, where you are, and whether anyone is at immediate risk.
- You get an honest ETA. If we cannot reach you within an hour, we will say so and recommend the closest reputable alternative rather than leave you waiting.
- The technician dispatched is licensed in Virginia. For electrical work, that means a Master Electrician or a Journeyman supervised by one. For HVAC, a certified residential technician.
- We diagnose, quote in writing, and then repair. No surprise pricing on the invoice.
Why Northern Virginia Homes See More Emergencies Than Most
I have worked on Northern Virginia homes for years, and the pattern is consistent. The housing stock here spans more than a century of construction, and that creates predictable failure points.
Older Arlington and Alexandria homes built before 1980 often still run on 100 amp panels that were never sized for modern load. Add a hot tub, an EV charger, a heat pump, and a home office, and the panel runs hot constantly. When it fails, it fails on the hottest or coldest day of the year because that is when load is highest.
Reston, Herndon, and parts of Vienna built during the 1970s subdivision boom share a different problem. Aluminum branch wiring and Federal Pacific panels are both on the insurance industry’s known defect list, and both are common reasons for late night calls.
Fairfax County’s tree canopy is part of why power outages here are more frequent than in newer, less wooded communities. When a limb takes down a service drop, the homeowner often discovers that their backup plan was not actually a plan.
Loudoun and Prince William new construction has its own failure mode. Builder grade HVAC equipment installed between 2010 and 2015 is now reaching the end of its design life all at once across whole subdivisions, and these systems tend to fail mid summer when every contractor in the region is overbooked.
For a deeper read on the warning signs your panel is giving you before it fails, see 10+ Signs Your Northern Virginia Home’s Electrical System Is Failing.
What We Repair on an Emergency Call
Electrical
Main panel failure, subpanel issues, partial power loss to one floor or zone, breakers that trip and will not reset, sparking or arcing outlets, burning smell from the panel, downed service drop coordination with Dominion Energy, exterior emergency shut off failures, GFCI failures on critical circuits, and storm related damage to interior wiring.
HVAC
AC compressor failure, condenser fan motor failure, refrigerant leak diagnosis, frozen evaporator coil, thermostat failure, blower motor failure, gas furnace lockout, heat pump defrost cycle failure, and complete system replacement when repair is not viable.
We do not handle natural gas line repair (call Washington Gas at 703.750.1000 for that) or sewer issues. For plumbing emergencies we partner with Veteran Plumbing Services.
What an Emergency Call Costs
Honest answer. Emergency response carries a dispatch fee on top of standard hourly rates. The dispatch fee at PRO Electric plus HVAC is fair compared to the larger franchises, and we apply it toward the final invoice when the repair proceeds. We give a written quote before any work starts, and we do not pad the quote with parts you do not need.
If the issue can safely wait until morning, we will tell you and book the appointment for the first slot the next day at standard rates. Saving you money is not a sales tactic. It is how we build repeat customers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Service in Northern Virginia
What counts as an electrical emergency in Northern Virginia?
An electrical emergency includes total or partial power loss not caused by a Dominion Energy outage, a hot or smoking panel, buzzing or popping sounds from the panel, sparking outlets, burning smells, visible scorching, repeated breaker tripping, storm damage, or a failed exterior emergency shut off.
What counts as an HVAC emergency?
An HVAC emergency includes an air conditioner failure during extreme heat when someone in the home is medically vulnerable, a furnace or heat pump failure during freezing weather, a carbon monoxide alarm, unusual smells from a gas furnace, flooding around an HVAC unit, condensate overflow, or signs of a refrigerant leak.
What should I do if I smell burning plastic or see sparks?
If you smell burning plastic, see sparks, hear arcing inside a wall or panel, or your carbon monoxide detector is sounding, leave the home and call 911 first. Once you and your family are safe, call PRO Electric plus HVAC at 703.225.8222.
Does PRO Electric plus HVAC answer emergency calls 24/7?
Yes. PRO Electric plus HVAC has a 24/7 emergency line staffed by a real person. Homeowners can call 703.225.8222 for emergency electrical or HVAC service in Northern Virginia.
How fast can PRO Electric plus HVAC reach my home?
Typical response windows are 60 to 90 minutes for top priority calls inside the Beltway and 90 to 120 minutes for homes farther out in Loudoun County or Prince William County. PRO Electric plus HVAC gives an honest ETA when you call.
What areas does PRO Electric plus HVAC serve for emergency calls?
PRO Electric plus HVAC serves Fairfax County, Arlington County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Alexandria, and the City of Falls Church. Service areas include Fairfax, Reston, Falls Church, Vienna, McLean, Arlington, Alexandria, Ashburn, Leesburg, Woodbridge, Manassas, and nearby Northern Virginia communities.
Are PRO Electric plus HVAC technicians licensed in Virginia?
Yes. PRO Electric plus HVAC is licensed and insured in Virginia. Electrical work is handled by a Master Electrician or a Journeyman supervised by one. HVAC service is handled by a certified residential technician.
Does PRO Electric plus HVAC charge an emergency dispatch fee?
Yes. Emergency response includes a dispatch fee for after hours and same day priority calls. The fee is disclosed before dispatch and is applied toward the final invoice when the repair proceeds.
Can PRO Electric plus HVAC help with Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels?
Yes. PRO Electric plus HVAC can diagnose and stabilize known defect panels such as Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels. For long term safety, the company will explain what can be done that night and provide a replacement panel quote for follow up service.
What if my power problem is caused by Dominion Energy?
If the issue is on Dominion Energy’s side, PRO Electric plus HVAC will tell you and help you understand the next step. The company can also help homeowners coordinate or escalate the issue when needed.
Call PRO Electric plus HVAC Now
If you are reading this because something is wrong in your home right now, stop reading and call 703.225.8222. The line is staffed 24/7 by a real person.
If the issue can wait until morning, fill out our contact form and we will reach out to schedule the first available standard rate appointment.
☎ 24/7 Emergency Line: 703.225.8222
🔧 Schedule standard service: proelectricva.com/contact/
🏆 Licensed Master Electrician on every call. Veteran owned and operated.
References
- Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. (2025). Licensee lookup. https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/
- Dominion Energy. (n.d.). Report a power outage. https://www.dominionenergy.com/virginia/outages-and-emergencies/report-an-outage
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2011). Aluminum wiring hazards. https://www.cpsc.gov/
- National Fire Protection Association. (2023). NFPA 70: National Electrical Code. https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-70
By Peter, Master Electrician | PRO Electric plus HVAC
