Why Does Part of My House Not Have Power?
Dealing with Partial Power Loss? What to Check First.
If some of your outlets or lights suddenly stop working — but the rest of your house still has power — you’re dealing with partial power loss. It can be frustrating, but it often points to a specific electrical problem that can be addressed pretty easily.
Let’s walk through what to check first and when it’s time to call a pro.
First Things to Check
Before calling an electrician, there are usually some safe ways you can check on things yourself:
1. Check Your Electrical Panel (Breaker Box)
Look for a breaker that’s tripped or sitting slightly off-center. Even if it doesn’t look fully “off,” flip it all the way off, then back on. Note that a tripped breaker will trip again if too much power is being drawn from appliances or other electrical devices all being used at once.
2. Look for a Tripped GFCI Outlet
Power is often fed from one outlet to the next, and sometimes includes lighting or whole sections of the house. Check GFCI outlets (the ones with the buttons) in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements, and outdoor outlets. Press the “reset” button and see if power returns.
3. Confirm Whether it's One Room, or Multiple Areas
If several rooms lost power at once, that’s usually a shared circuit issue — not just one bad outlet.
If none of this restores power, stop there. It may be an issue for a professional to look into. Don’t start opening outlets or panels.
Common Causes of Partial Power Loss
When part of the house loses power, here’s what we often find:
A loose wire inside an outlet or switch
A failed outlet or backstab connection
A damaged neutral wire
A breaker that’s failing internally
A utility-side issue causing one “leg” of power to drop
- A damaged or failing electrical panel
When You Should Call an Electrician
Call right away if you notice:
Outlets not working but breakers aren’t tripped
Lights dimming or flickering in the affected area
Burning smells or warm outlets
Multiple rooms partially out at once
Power comes and goes randomly
Can I just leave it and deal with it later?
Why we wouldn’t:
Partial power loss isn’t just inconvenient — it can mean something is loose, failing, or overloaded behind the walls. The sooner it’s diagnosed, the easier (and cheaper) it usually is to fix.
If your home is showing signs of partial power loss, Total Electric can track it down safely and get everything working properly again.
Need Help? Work with Total Electric!
Call now to speak with a licensed electrician. We’ll give you a free estimate and help you diagnose the issue safely.