If you have found yourself plugging in your hair dryer or phone charger and switching it on only to find there is no power to the outlet, there are a couple of things you can do before calling an electrician to see if you can troubleshoot the problem first and save yourself the callout charge!
Safety is the highest priority when working with electrical outlets, if you don't feel comfortable running these troubleshooting tests and your power outlets aren't working, Call a registered electrician. The team at Conway & Carpenter are always available to help any time you are concerned.
Here are some steps you can try:
1. Check that the outlet is the problem by plugging your appliance into other outlets in different areas of the house or building to make sure the issue isn't your appliance.
2. Check to see if other lights or appliances in other locations are still working. Take note of where they are!
3. If you have a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter), press the Reset button. If the button will not reset or continues to trip, call a registered electrician.
4. Unplug all devices from power outlets that aren't working.
5. Go to your main electrical switchboard and check if a circuit breaker has tripped. You will be able to tell if any have tripped as they will be in the opposite direction of the rest of the handles.
6. If you find a circuit breaker that has tripped, push it all the way to OFF until it clicks, then switch it back ON, ensure it lines up with the rest of the handles.
7. If the circuit breaker trips again and reverts back to OFF, this is a sign there could be a fault and could potentially be dangerous. Please call a registered electrician as soon as possible.
To reduce the risk of any electrical faults occurring at your power outlets, you can:
- Avoid overloading sockets with multiple power boards or adapters
- Ensure all plugs are the correct size for the outlets
- Ensure all outlet covers are properly in place and that sockets are properly secured to your walls