When your power suddenly goes out, it can feel confusing and a little unsettling. Is it just your house, or the entire neighborhood? Did a breaker trip, or is there a bigger electrical problem?
Power outages happen for many reasons. Knowing what to check first can help you quickly understand the situation and decide whether you should call a professional.
Quick Answer
When your power goes out, figure out if it’s a whole-house problem or just a specific area. Take a look outside, or give a neighbor a call to see if they’re in the dark too. If it’s just you, check your breaker panel for tripped breakers and reset them if necessary. If the power stays off, you smell something burning, or the power keeps cutting out, it’s time to call in a licensed electrician.
5 Things to Check When Your Power Goes Out
Before worrying about what is wrong, there are some simple things you can check to get a clearer idea of what happened.
- Look around your neighborhood
Check if nearby homes or streetlights are out too. If so, it may be a utility issue rather than your home. - Check your breaker panel
Open your electrical panel and see if a breaker has tripped. If one is flipped to the middle or off position, try resetting it once. Do not try resetting it a second time if the first reset doesn’t work. - Check GFCI outlets
Bathrooms, kitchens, and garages often contain GFCI outlets that can trip and cut power to other outlets on the same circuit. - Think about recent electrical use
If you just started the vacuum or microwave, it’s possible too many appliances were running on the same circuit at once and it was overloaded. - Look for signs of damage
Storms, fallen branches, or damaged outdoor wiring can sometimes affect electrical service.
These quick checks can help you determine whether the problem is affecting the neighborhood, is minor, or if you need professional troubleshooting.
Is the Problem Inside Your Home or Outside?
Not every power outage has the same cause. In many situations, the issue can be traced to one of several common sources.
The Neighborhood
Utility outages often affect multiple homes. These outages may occur during storms, equipment failures, or maintenance work by the power company. When this happens, call your electricity provider to report the issue. They may also give you an estimated time power will be restored.
One Area of Your Home
Breaker-related outages usually affect a single area of the house. A tripped breaker protects the wiring from overheating when too much electricity flows through the circuit. If the power is working in one part of the house but not another, it’s likely either too many things were running on one circuit or there is an issue with one section of your electrical system.
Inconsistent Power to Your Whole House
Electrical system issues may cause partial outages, flickering lights, or circuits that stop working repeatedly. These problems sometimes indicate loose wiring, damaged circuits, or an aging electrical panel.
Understanding these differences can help homeowners explain the situation clearly when contacting an electrician.
When Do I Call an Electrician?
Out of all the causes of a power outage, there are three main signs you may want an electrical contractor to take a look.
First, call if one or more breakers are tripping on a regular basis. A breaker trip is good to protect your electrical systems from getting overheated, but if they trip frequently that can indicate something is causing the system to overheat regularly. The electrical system connected to that breaker should be checked to ensure they are working properly.
Then another sign is frequent flickering or partial outages. As opposed to overheating from too much electricity, this often indicates you’re not getting enough power where it is needed. In this case, it’s likely that old parts need to be replaced.
Finally, the biggest sign you want to pay attention to is a buzzing noise or a burning smell. This can often indicate a safety issue that should be fixed as soon as you can. If possible, unplug or turn off anything connected to the source of the burning or buzzing, then call a professional.
Expert Advice from Davidson Keen Electrical Contractors
“Many homeowners assume a power outage is always caused by the utility company,” says Bill, owner of Davidson Keen Electrical Contractors. “But in many cases the problem can be inside the home’s electrical system. If you notice repeated breaker trips, unusual smells, or lights flickering regularly, those are signs you should have a professional inspect the system before the issue becomes more serious.”
Professional troubleshooting ensures that electrical problems are identified and repaired correctly.
Need Help Troubleshooting a Power Outage?
Electrical problems are not always easy to diagnose. What seems to be a simple outage could actually be a warning sign of a deeper issue within your home’s electrical system.
The team at Davidson Keen Electrical Contractors provides professional electrical troubleshooting, repair, and installation services to help homeowners restore power safely and prevent future problems.
FAQs
Why does power sometimes go out in only part of my house?
This usually happens when a breaker trips or a circuit experiences an electrical issue. Resetting the breaker may restore power, but repeated problems should be checked by an electrician.
Is it safe to reset a breaker during an outage?
Yes, resetting a breaker once is generally safe. If the breaker trips again immediately, stop resetting it and contact a professional.
What causes frequent electrical outages in a home?
Common causes include overloaded circuits, outdated electrical panels, damaged wiring, or faulty appliances.
How do I know if my breaker panel needs repair?
Signs include frequent breaker trips, warm panels, buzzing sounds, or lights that flicker when appliances run.
Should I call an electrician after a storm-related outage?
If power returns normally and no electrical problems appear, you may not need service. However, if circuits behave unusually afterward, an inspection is wise.