Imagine the scenario: you go to plug in your space heater for the night, and it doesn’t work. You unplug the heater and try some other appliances, and none of them work either. It seems like the outlet has no power at all — what gives?
A dead outlet is not only frustrating but may also signal deeper electrical problems. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can try to fix or diagnose a dead electrical outlet. With that in mind, the team at Crowe Electric is here with this quick troubleshooting guide.
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Reset the Outlet
The very first thing you should do is reset your outlet ground fault circuit interrupter if it has one. GFCI sockets have two buttons in the middle: a red ‘RESET’ button and a black ‘TEST’ button. Press the black button until you hear a click, and the red button pops out. Next, press the red button until it clicks, and it should reset the circuit’s internal breaker.
GFCI breakers can trip due to power surges and drops, so the most likely scenario is there was a power outage or surge earlier, and the outlet never got properly reset. If resetting the outlet doesn’t work the first time, try again, but press the buttons deeper. You can also test the outlet with a GFCI tester to make sure the breaker is still working.
Check the Breaker
If resetting the dead electrical outlet didn’t work or it’s a non-GFCI outlet, go to your electrical box and find the circuit breaker the outlet connects to. These breakers connect to the outlets in your home and automatically shut off electricity when they sense a problem to avoid causing electrical damage. Locate the breaker the outlet connects to and check the switch.
If you have a tripped breaker, the switch should be flipped in the other direction than the other breakers. Unplug all appliances in the outlet first and then flip the breaker switch back until you hear a click. Next, test the outlet to see if you restored power. Even if the breaker isn’t flipped, you can flip it off and then back on to reset the circuit.
If you have an older home in Kingston, you may have fuses instead of a circuit breaker box. Fuses have small filaments in them that break when the current or voltage gets too high. If you can see that the filament in the glass tube is broken, remove it and install a replacement fuse with the same rating.
Check for Loose Wiring
If resetting the breaker didn’t work, the next thing to do is check for loose wiring in the dead electrical outlet itself. Loose wire connections may not be transmitting enough voltage or current for the outlet to power anything useful. You can test whether your outlet has sufficient power with a voltage tester.
Before working with the outlet, make sure you remove all appliances from it and turn off the circuit for electrical safety purposes. Next, remove the faceplate using the appropriate screwdriver and check the wires that connect to the outlet.
Most modern outlets use either stab-in or screw-in connectors. With stab-in connectors, the wires feed through small holes in the back of the outlet, and frequent plugging or unplugging can cause them to come loose. If the wires are loose, push them back into the hole to ensure they are connected.
Screw-in connectors have a screw that holds the wire to the outlet connection. If the screw-in connector is loose, you can tighten it until the wire makes full contact.
Contact a Kingston Electrical Professional for Replacement
If none of the above strategies work, you should contact an expert electrician in Kingston MA to diagnose the problem. The dead electrical outlet might be due to a larger problem in your home’s electrical system.
If you keep finding dead outlets in your home, you should contact a professional ASAP. Multiple dead outlets could mean there is a major electrical problem that could pose a serious fire or shock hazard. You should always rely on a licensed and insured professional when performing any major electrical work in your home.
Kingston’s Trusted Electrical Experts
If you have a dead electrical outlet to replace or need other electrical services, contact Crowe Electric online or call today to schedule an appointment! Read our blog to learn about other interesting electrical facts, such as how much electricity a swimming pool uses.