When you plug something into an outlet to use it and it won’t work, it can create a frustrating situation. You may feel overwhelmed, wonder what could be the cause, and be unsure if it is safe to troubleshoot. Luckily, there are some simple things you can do to troubleshoot. There are some cases where troubleshooting is unsafe, and in that case you should immediately call a residential electrician. Are you looking for a residential electrician in Williamsport, or the surrounding areas? ALC Weaver Electric can help! Read on for more tips.
Power Outlet Not Working? Try These Tips from a Residential Electrician in Williamsport
Check to See if the Breaker Has Tripped
When power surges happen in a room, it can cause the breaker to trip. This stops all flow of electricity to the room instantly. Try to turn on the lights to the room and see if they work. If they don’t, go to your breaker box and look for a switch that is flipped to the opposite directions from all the other switches within the box. Once you flip the breaker switch to the other side, it should allow the flow of power to start back to the room and thus your outlet should work.
Check to See if the GFCI has Been Tripped
Within many of the rooms in your home there will be at least one outlet that has a GFCI outlet in it. The GFCI is designed to stop the circuit of electricity of flowing from one outlet to another when needed. This can be due to power surges or simply shorts in the wiring. In order to reset the GFCI all you need to do is push the button on the outlet that is labeled as the test button. This will cause the button labeled reset to deploy. When this happens press in the reset button and the power should start working to the outlet again.
Test Other Outlets in the Room
If you just tried plugging in your phone to charge but the outlet isn’t working you can try other outlets in the same room. That will help you understand whether it is an outlet problem or a bigger issue.
Call in Professional Electricians like ALC Weaver Electric
If you aren’t able to get the outlet to work after trying these three steps, there may be a break in the flow of electricity somewhere. At this point you’ll want to to hire a professional residential electrician in Willamsport to have them take a look the bigger picture. If there are any wires that are damaged or improperly ran, they may need to be replaced in order for the electricity to work properly within the home. Get in touch with ALC Weaver Electric, a residential electrician in Williamsport, to receive a free estimate today.
ALC Weaver Electric
We are a professional, experienced electrical contractors certified and insured within the field. We offer residential and commercial electrical services in Hagerstown and the surrounding areas in MD, PA, and WV. With ALC Weaver Electric you get a quality job and 24-hour service.