Why The Outlet Isn’t Working
The first thing to do when an outlet stops working is to figure out why that is. It is true that electricity is not something to play with, but electrical issues like this one are not necessarily a major electrical problem, even though we do advise being careful. Here are a few reasons why your outlet may have stopped working:
Location of the Outlet
Outlets near the sink like the ones in the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room are likely to stop working because they could be a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) or be protected by one. GFCI outlets shut down instead of tripping a circuit. So, if your GFCI outlet isn’t working, reset it. GFCI outlets sometimes may be interconnected, so one outlet can stop electricity from the other outlet, which means that you may have to reset all the GFCI outlets.
Age of Your Home
Electrical wiring can age, and outlets can age too. So, over time, they may start to get faulty. Plus, if you use modern devices in an old house, the devices use up more electricity, which means that you will need to update your electrical wiring.
Check Breaker Panel
Your circuit breaker might be tripped. Check to see if they’re off or stuck, if they are, then reset. If nothing changes and it’s still tripped, then the outlet might be overloaded or just plain bad, in which case you will need to replace the outlet, but we advise that you let a professional from CLD Electric handle the replacement for you.
Fire Hazard
Check your outlet and its surroundings for any signs of a spark, smoke, or charring, in which case, the problem may be a fire hazard. You should stop using this outlet even if the electrical connection is restored to the outlet. It may be dangerous to use, and we suggest you invite a professional electrician to inspect the problem because the burnout may be a warning sign that there’s a bigger problem.
Blown Fuse
If you have a fuse box, then check to see if it has blown. There could be discolored glass or melted metal pieces. If that is the case, and you do find the fuse that is broken, unscrew it and replace it with a new one.
Defective Outlet
This is not a common possibility, but it still is one. So, if all else fails, it could be that your outlet is the one at fault and needs to be replaced.
To replace your outlet or if you are unable to diagnose the problem, contact CLD Electric, an electrical company with years of experience and a team of experienced professionals.