What Causes Partial Power Outages in my House?

Oct 1, 2020

Wiring and the electrical systems in your home are complex, and occasionally things will go wrong with those systems. Partial power outages are a sign that some of your systems are out of whack and that it’s probably time to call an electrician. You know you are dealing with a partial outage if lights and devices are not working in certain areas of your home, but are working in other areas. If you’re trying to figure out where a partial outage is coming from, here are some places you could start your search and discover what is causing partial power outages in your house.

Common Power Outages

One of the most common culprits are damaged circuit breakers which you will find in the breaker panel. Damaged circuit breakers can be caused by an overloaded electrical circuit, or faulty appliances may be causing a short circuit. You can usually easily tell if the circuit breaker is the problem if one of the switches has flipped or a fuse has blown. If you believe an appliance is causing the partial outage try unplugging the appliance and resetting the breaker switch. Plug the appliance back in and turn it on, if the switch flips again, you know you’ve found your culprit.  

Other Power Outage

The other area that may be causing your problem is the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI. This is designed to turn off power in the event of a ground fault in order to protect you from electrocution. You will find these outlets often in bathrooms or areas where you may be using electricity close to water. You can identify these outlets by the two buttons on it for  “test” and “reset.” If the outlet is not working you likely just need to press reset, however these outlets only last for approximately 10 years, so if the “reset” button doesn’t work, you will need to call a professional to reset or replace it.

Checking these areas in your electrical circuits can help you resolve simple issues or allow you to inform your electrician better before they come, saving you time and money. If resetting the GFCI and testing your appliances didn’t solve the problem then wait for the professionals to arrive. They will be able to safely and effectively find the source of the problems and fix it. 

If you’re looking for electrical help in your home Contact the professionals at AJ’s Electrical. We’re here to help!

Partial Power Outages

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