Ringwood's homes, weather and network
Building in waves
Subdivisions released over 1100 sites between 1924 and 1930, 450 houses were built and occupied between 1946 and 1950, and orchards were sold off in the 1960s.
A lot of rentals
39.3% of occupied homes were rented in 2021, so the 2-yearly rental electrical check applies to plenty of Ringwood houses and units.
Flash flooding
VICSES names Ringwood and Ringwood East among Maroondah's at-risk flood locations, after a significant event in February 2011, and warns there may be little time to respond.
Storms
In the June 2021 storm, Maroondah's VICSES unit passed its average yearly callouts. On 13 February 2024, approximately 255,000 AusNet customers lost power across its network.
AusNet's lines
AusNet runs lines from Ringwood Terminal Station to its Ringwood North, Croydon and Bayswater zone substations. If AusNet is on your bill, call 13 17 99 for faults.
When a storm cuts the power
Check the street
If neighbours are out too, it's a network fault. Report it to your distributor (AusNet is 13 17 99) and watch its Outage Tracker.
Stay clear of fallen lines
Energy Safe Victoria says to keep more than 8 to 10 metres away and assume they're live. Call 000 if anyone's in danger.
If water got in
Leave the power off to anything that's been wet. Call the SES on 132 500 for storm damage, and have a licensed electrician check before switching back on.
Unplug sensitive gear
Unplug computers and TVs while the power's out, so they're not caught when it comes back.
The older Ringwood house
A house from the 1920s or 1940s may have had its wiring patched more often than replaced. If the board still has fuses or lacks safety switches, that's the first fix. In a rental it's a requirement: since 29 March 2023, outlets and lighting circuits have needed breakers and RCDs.
What we'd do in Ringwood
Know where your main switch is and how to turn it off before storm season. If your house is one of the older ones, get the board checked while the weather's calm, rather than after a storm leaves you wondering whether it's safe.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.