If power goes out in one portion of your home rather than your entire home, you know right off the bat that you are dealing with an electrical problem. If you are in this situation, you may find yourself wondering what to do. Here are the steps you should follow to help fix your power outage.
1. Unplug Everything in the Affected Room
The first step you should take is to unplug everything that is plugged in to the outlets in the affected room or rooms. The last thing you want is power to come back on and create a power surge. This can be damaging to items plugged in to electrical outlets.
2. Push the Reset Button on a GFCI Outlet
The next step you should take is to see if there is a GFCI outlet in the vicinity of the power outage. A GFCI outlet is an outlet that has a reset switch on it. These are generally located in spaces near water, such as in the kitchen and bathrooms. However, they can be positioned anywhere in a home. If a GFCI outlet trips, it can cause all other outlets connected to it to fail. A key sign the GFCI outlet is the problem is if the outlets don’t work but hard wired lights or ceiling fans still work.
3. Check Your Breaker Box or Fuse Box
After resetting any GFCI outlets, the next thing you should do is check your breaker box or fuse box. If you a breaker or fuse has popped and flipped to the off position, portions of your home may be without power. Flipping the switch back to the on position can help remedy this problem. If your circuits or fuses constantly pop, you need to call in an electrician to find out why.
4. Call in an Electrician
If you still have not restored power to your home, it is time to call in an electrician. An electrician can help determine why part of your home is without power. A fuse may have blown and may need to be replaced, or you may have a loose wire that is causing the problem. An electrician will determine what the issue is and then work to fix it.
Are you unable to restore power to your home after the power went out in a portion of your home? Here at Harrison Electric, Inc., serving the greater Minneapolis, and Plymouth, Minnesota areas, we can help you with all of your electrical needs. Contact us now to schedule your appointment.