Lights Out? What to Check First

If the lights are out, start by working out how much is out. One light, one room, and the whole house are three different problems.

Safe checks first:

1. One light only: try a bulb you know works, and check the switch and the lamp or fixture. If a new bulb does not work, leave that fixture alone and call.
2. One room only: look at the panel for a breaker in the middle / tripped position. Push it fully to OFF first, then back to ON. Also check GFCI outlets in the kitchen, bathroom, garage, basement and outside, and press RESET if one has tripped.
3. The whole house: check whether your neighbours still have power. If they do, it is likely your panel or service, not the street. Check the panel once for a tripped main breaker, and do not keep resetting it.
4. Note the pattern: is it one room, a scattered set of rooms, or roughly half the house? Tell your electrician — a scattered half-house pattern matters.

Stop and call if:

• You smell burning, hear buzzing, or see scorch marks at the panel, a switch, or an outlet
• A breaker is hot to the touch, or trips again right away
• Lights are unusually bright in some rooms and dim in others
• Power flickers back and forth
  Do not open the panel cover or touch service wiring. That part needs a licensed electrician to test safely.

Call McLeod Electric in Hanson, MA at (781) 447-6040.