During a power outage of any sort, it is best to be prepared. If you find that you are already experiencing one, however, here are some tips to remedying the situation.
Dealing with electricity can be dangerous and deadly, so be sure to take the following precautions before addressing a partial power outage in a house:
- Make sure an adult is the only one to touch the circuit box.
- Make sure there is no standing water around the box before touching it.
- If you feel, for any reason, touching your circuit box may be dangerous, call a professional instead of chancing it.
There are two main reasons for a partial power outage in a house. The first is an easy and free fix, while the other may cost money, but can’t be done without a professional.
Circuit breaker flipped
Check to make sure none of the circuit breakers have flipped or a fuse has blown. If an appliance has caused a power surge, a blown fuse or flipped circuit could be the cause. If you believe this might be the problem, first unplug the device which threw the circuit and then check the box. All of the tabs should be on the same side. If one is flipped the wrong way, or even partially so, try flipping it off and back on again.
Lost a phase
If this doesn’t restore your power, you may have what electricians call “lost a phase,” where one of the two 120V wires has stopped working for one reason or another. In this situation, you could either call the electric company or a local professional. Either option may cost a decent amount of money, but it is not worth losing your life or home trying to fix this problem on your own.
Further Assistance
If you are worried about trying to find the right professional for you, Seva Call is a free service that can really help. We will connect you with up to three local electricians who will be able to help you out.