Partial Power Outage in House No Breaker Tripped (2024)

Have you ever been going about your day only to find out that part of your house doesn’t have power?

We have received many phone calls throughout the years where the customer says they have a partial power outage in their house but no breaker has been tripped.

If you are looking for a fast solution, we recommend calling your electrical service provider first to find out if there are any issues in the area concerning outages.

A second suggestion would be to speak to your neighbor and find out if they are having similar issues. If they are, chances are the problem originates from the first plan to action—your electrical; service provider. If you require immediate assistance or you have determined it’s an isolated issue in your home, thenyoushouldyou immediately find yourself a local certified electrician with great Google Reviews.

If you are looking to get more educated on this matter, then continue reading below.

Partial Power Outage in House No Breaker Tripped

There are many possible causes for a partial power outage in your home with no breaker tripped.

First, check all of the outlets in the affected area to see if any have loose or damaged wires. If so, these need to be repaired or replaced as soon as possible.

Another possibility is that a circuit breaker may be loose or damaged. In this case, you will need to replace the breaker or put it back in place.

One of the most common things we have noticed, especially with customers that have inground pools, is that there may be a breaker tripped and you not realize it.

We have saved many house calls by asking the customer to make sure the circuit is completely in place. We recommend that you either turn the suspected breaker off then back on, or push the breaker to the on position completely.

Finally, if none of these solutions solve the problem, there may be a problem with the electrical panel itself. This is a more serious issue and you should call an electrician to inspect and repair the panel.

Signs of a Bad Main Breaker

1) Flickering or Dim Lights – If your lights are flickering or dimming, it could be a sign that your main breaker is going bad.

2) Breaker Trips Frequently – If your breaker trips frequently, it’s definitely a sign that something is wrong.

3) Burning Smell – A burning smell coming from your breaker box is never a good sign.

4) No power at all – If you have no power at all, it’s likely that your main breaker has failed completely.

5) Sparks or smoke – Sparks or smoke coming from your breaker box is an extremely serious issue and should be dealt with immediately.

We always recommend when it comes to anything electrical, you first call your local trusted electrician.

We want to emphasize the “trusted” part.

How to Find a Great Local Electrician

There are a few things you should keep in mind when looking for a local electrician.

First, make sure that the electrician is licensed and insured.

In order for a licensed electrician to keep his or her license, they need to prove proof of insurance to the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB). To determine if their license is active, you can go into the OCILB’s licensing portal to look up the licensees name at:

https://elicense4.com.ohio.gov/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx

Doing this researchThiswill protect you in case something goes wrong while they are working on your home.Your insurance company may not pay for damages incurred from an unlicensed electrician.

Call your local building department and ask for a list of registered contractors. Additionally, you can ask who they’d recommend or if they cannot recommend, ask who has always successfully passed their final inspection the first time. If an inspector must come back constantly to reinspect work for a tradesperson, it typically suggests sloppy or non-code compliant habits.

Finally, interview each electrician to get a sense of their experience and expertise.If a receptionist picks up the phone and is not able to answer your questions, ask to be connected to a technician. Good quality also comes with good customer service—you should always be able to talk to a technician who can answer your questions to gain your confidence with them.

Partial Power Outage in House No Breaker Tripped (2024)

FAQs

Partial Power Outage in House No Breaker Tripped? ›

So, if power suddenly goes out to part of the home, but no breakers trip, it could be that one of the two hot wires has become loose (causing flickering) or disconnected (no power). This can happen at the transformer, in the meter base, or at the connection to the main breaker in the panel.

Why does half my house have no power but no breaker tripped? ›

When you encounter a situation where the power is out in one room, but the breaker isn't tripped, that doesn't necessarily mean the breaker isn't causing the problem; it could still be a circuit issue. This occurs for reasons such as: The circuit breaker is faulty and needs to be replaced.

Why has my electric gone off but nothing has tripped? ›

First, check all of the outlets in the affected area to see if any have loose or damaged wires. If so, these need to be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Another possibility is that a circuit breaker may be loose or damaged. In this case, you will need to replace the breaker or put it back in place.

Why is the power went out in my room but the breaker is not tripped? ›

If the outlet in your kitchen or bedroom is not working but the breaker is not tripped, this may be a sign the wiring was not installed correctly. This is especially a problem with older outlets. Loose wiring could lead to the outlet not working altogether.

Why is my circuit dead but the breaker not tripped? ›

If your outlet has stopped working, but the breaker has not tripped, it could be due to several factors, including bad wiring, a faulty GFCI outlet, or a damaged appliance.

Why is part of my house losing power? ›

Most commonly, the circuit breaker has been overloaded and tripped off. The circuit breakers are typically found in the breaker panel box that is often located in the garage, basem*nt, or utility room. The second most common reason is there is a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) that has tripped off.

How do you fix half power in a house? ›

Look for a Tripped Breaker

Then, locate your circuit breaker panel, formerly known as your fuse box (often in the basem*nt or garage, or in the back of the house). One of the switches should be down – this is the one that has tripped. Simply flip it up to restore power.

What if the circuit breaker is on but there is no power? ›

Another easy solution that might apply when your circuit breaker is on but there is no power to its corresponding outlets is to check the GFCI reset button. Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI, but sometimes called GFIs) are designed to act like mini circuit breakers that can cut off power, too.

Can a breaker be bad and not be tripped? ›

Flexi Says: Circuit breakers can go bad without tripping. A circuit breaker may fail to trip due to various reasons, such as a worn-out mechanism, corrosion, or a faulty connection.

Why are my sockets not working but nothing tripped? ›

One of the most common reasons for OUTLETS NOT WORKING BUT NOTHING TRIPPED is a blown fuse.

Can a power outage trip a breaker? ›

Sometimes the main breaker will trip when there is a power outage. If this happens, it could be that there was an electrical overload. If the power to your area is back on after an outage, but your home still doesn't have electricity, check the electrical panel. You might have to reset it to restore power.

Why does main breaker trip and not the circuit breaker? ›

Lightning strikes, power surges from the utility company, or an overload to the electrical panel can all cause the main breaker to trip. If an individual circuit breaker fails and loses its ability to trip as designed, it may actually be the main breaker that trips to provide the secondary safety shutoff.

Can a bad outlet cause other outlets not to work without tripping the breaker? ›

Yes, one bad outlet can affect others in your home, but it doesn't always impact other outlets. If one outlet stops working, your next step should be to test the power of other outlets. Here are common reasons why multiple outlets will go out simultaneously.

How to test if a breaker is bad? ›

The multimeter has two prongs. Touch one prong to the circuit breaker's terminal screw and touch the other prong to a ground screw, usually on a metal bar along the right side of the circuit box. The multimeter should read a between 120 and 240 volts. Anything else indicates a faulty circuit breaker.

Why is half my house without electricity? ›

A tripped circuit breaker is the most common cause of a power outage in one part of the house. Before you go to the circuit panel and flip the switch, however, it's important that you know how to safely do this. You need to turn the tripped switch all the way off before turning it back on.

Why is my house the only one with no power? ›

If your power is out but no one else is, and you are sure your bill is current, you can troubleshoot your panel. You will have one breaker switch that is much larger than the others. This may be two breaker switches hooked together. This is your main breaker.

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