Electrical · checked 5 Oct 2026
Power is out in part of the house
Safety first
- Smoke, sparks, or burning smell? Leave; call 911 from outside.
- Keep away from wet outlets, cords, and breaker panels.
- Do not reset anything showing damage, heat, or buzzing.
Fix it nowEight steps
- Check for danger first; follow stop signs below before touching anything.Heat, buzzing, sparks, and burning odors warn of electrical hazards.
- Note affected rooms; widespread loss means call your electric utility before resetting.Several dead areas can indicate a partial supply outage.
- With dry hands, unplug undamaged devices on the affected circuit; switch lights off.Remove loads before attempting a breaker reset.
The other five steps
- If completely dry and undamaged, open only the panel's hinged access door.Never remove the screwed cover or expose wiring.
- Reset only the clearly tripped branch breaker once: fully OFF, then ON.The handle must reach OFF before it can reset.
- Still dead? Find TEST/RESET outlets in bathrooms, kitchen, garage, and outdoors.A protective outlet can interrupt power to connected outlets.
- Press RESET once on the affected, dry, undamaged GFCI; never force it.A damaged or unpowered GFCI may refuse to reset.
- If power stays off or trips again, stop; call a licensed electrician.Repeated trips require professional inspection, not repeated resets.
When to stop
Stop and get a electrician if:
- Smoke, active sparking, or burning smell: leave immediately; call 911 outside. Do not approach the panel.
- Water near electrical equipment, exposed wires, buzzing, scorch marks, or unusual heat: stay clear; call an electrician now.
- Lights become unusually bright or dim, or several unrelated circuits lose power: stop resetting; call your electric utility now.
- Breaker or GFCI trips again, refuses to reset, or power stays off: stop; call an electrician. Leave a tripped device tripped.
- The panel has missing covers, exposed openings, or screw-in fuses: do not troubleshoot it; call an electrician.
What it probably is
Tripped circuit breakerOne circuit is dead; its breaker handle sits between ON and OFF.You can check
Tripped ground-fault outlet (GFCI)An outlet with TEST/RESET buttons is tripped; connected outlets may also lose power.You can check
Loose connection or damaged wiringPower flickers, outlets buzz, or you notice discoloration or burned-insulation odor.For a pro
Partial utility supply failureSeveral unrelated areas are dead, almost as though multiple breakers are off. Report partial power to your electric utility.For a pro
Time and parts
- Time
- 5–10 minutes for one safe reset attempt.
- Parts
- $0; no replacement parts for these checks.
Get it done
More than a quick fix? Vora gets quotes privately and recommends one electrician.
Checked against
- CPSC Guide to Home Wiring Hazards
- Schneider Electric: Tripped breaker handle positions and reset
- Leviton: GFCI outlets and reset troubleshooting
- FirstEnergy: Outage help and partial power definition
Written for Vora from these public sources and checked on 5 Oct 2026. General guidance, not a substitute for a pro on site. In danger, leave and call 911.