Many homeowners rely on their outlets to power everything from coffee makers, microwaves, TVs, and more. Most people assume that their outlets will work without fail for as long as they’re in their house; however, that’s not always the case. Outlets may suddenly stop working — often at the most inconvenient times — and throw your day into disarray.
Before calling an emergency electrician in Philadelphia, PA, for a professional solution, you may be tempted to figure out the problem and fix it yourself. Remember to take the necessary safety precautions to protect yourself while working with electricity! Here are some of the most common reasons why your electrical outlet suddenly stopped working.
A Circuit Breaker Tripped
The circuit breaker helps control the flow of electricity throughout your house. It’s designed to handle a good amount of electricity, so every outlet has enough energy to power your devices. However, there are times when too much electrical current goes to particular outlets, and the breaker will “trip” to prevent any lasting damage to your system.
You can potentially fix your electrical problem by inspecting your tripped circuit breaker, finding the switch, and flipping it off, and then on again to reset the circuit. However, if this doesn’t fix your electrical issues, it might be time to call an electrical emergency service to take a look.
Blown Fuse
Some homes may not have a dedicated circuit breaker or electrical panel — they have a fuse box. When your home’s electrical system experiences an overload to the fuse box, you’ll find yourself dealing with a blown fuse.
Check the box for pieces of melted metal or discolored glass — these are the telltale signs of a blown fuse. Unscrew the ruined component and replace it with an identical one, and the issue should get resolved.
Tripped GFCI Outlets
As technology has evolved, so have electrical outlets. If your home has ground fault circuit interrupter outlets installed, they will shut off as soon as a short gets detected. This mechanism helps protect your home from excessively hot outlets, potential electrical shock, and dangerous wall switches.
Most of the time, these outlets get placed in rooms near water, such as the kitchen and bathroom, to protect you against electrical shock. You can reset the GFCI outlet by pressing the reset button.
Burned Out Outlets
In some cases, outlets can physically burn out from a strong electrical current, causing a fire in your wiring system. If you see singe or scorch marks, then it’s time to remove the outlet and replace the attached wiring.
Issues With Connecting Wires
On the surface, your outlet is a relatively simple-looking piece of your home that you can take for granted. Under the surface, it’s more complex, requiring multiple connecting wires to ensure that the outlet has enough juice to power your appliances. While flipping switches in your breaker is something you may feel comfortable with, dealing with loose connections tends to require a professional electrician’s touch.
Checking for loose wiring requires a professional to turn the breaker off, detach the outlet from the wall, pull it out a few inches, and inspect each individual wire. Once they identify one that may have gotten loose, they can reposition and tighten the screws to ensure they’re back in place.
Fix Your Outlets and Get Your Home Back to Normal With EP Electric LLC’s Help!
When it comes to your home’s outlets, you want to ensure that everything remains fully operational so you can enjoy all of your appliances in peace. Our residential electrical company in Philadelphia, PA, can come to your home and figure out exactly why your outlets suddenly stopped working. Whether they are short-circuited or have a deeper underlying problem, we can make the necessary repairs that your home needs.
Contact the EP Electric LLC team to schedule your next service call today!
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