Is your outlet acting up? Does it supply power sometimes, or no power at all? Does the light that’s plugged into the outlet flicker? If your electric outlet has stopped working, you’re probably frustrated and want to take action. There are some troubleshooting steps to see if you can solve the problem first. If those don’t work, then it’s best to hire a local Omaha electrician who can quickly repair the malfunctioning outlet and eliminate your frustration – safely and affordably.
Safety First
If your electrical outlet isn’t working, there are some unsafe scenarios which may be causing the problem. An overloaded electrical outlet with multiple power strips or adaptors could be the issue. If the cover plate for your outlet is loose and not secured wiring might be out of place or shorting. Do not touch the wires behind the safety plate if they’re exposed.
Electrical Outlet Troubleshooting
• Make sure it’s your outlet and not what’s plugged into the outlet that’s the problem. Plug your device into a different outlet that you know is working to test.
• Check to see if other outlets, lights, or appliances are not working and note the locations.
• If your outlet is a GFCI outlet, press the reset button. If the button will not reset or continues to trip, contact a professional electrician.
• Unplug all devices and appliances from dead outlets.
• Check for a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker. These are located in your main electric panel. You’ll be able to identify any tripped breakers because they will have switches that aren’t lined up with the rest.
• If you find a tripped breaker, reset it by pushing the switch to “off” until you hear a click. Then push it back to “on” until it lines up with the other switches.
• If the breaker trip to “off” again this is a sign that you have a problem with the wiring or a potentially dangerous situation like a ground fault or short circuit. In this case, you need to call a professional electrician right away.
Electrical Outlet Tester
If you have an electrical outlet tester, diagnosing your outlet’s issue becomes a lot easier. Simply plug the device into the outlet and watch the pattern. The tester will have a legend to show you what the light pattern means. If the device tells you that the outlet is miswired or doesn’t’ have a proper grounding, do not use the outlet until it’s repaired by a professional. If you’re unable to determine what the problem is, call a local Omaha electrician and the can access the problem and repair it.