If you experience electrical problems in your rental, like flickering lights, dead outlets, or frequently tripping circuit breakers, you might be curious about solutions.
While ensuring safety and considering a licensed electrician for major issues is important, there are troubleshooting steps you can take for common electrical problems. Following these steps, such as checking tripped circuit breakers, testing outlets, and inspecting light fixtures, can help you understand the issue and decide how to proceed.
Visual Inspection
If an appliance, lamp, or electrical device fails, begin by examining the outlet and cord for damage. There are times when a power outlet malfunctions and stops working. You may notice visible signs of damage, such as discoloration. Similarly, look over all plugs and cords for breaks, fraying, and other damage. When damage is found in the outlet or cord, it’s likely time to replace them.
Try a Different Outlet
If the outlet and power cord are in good condition, the next step is to plug your lamp or device into a different outlet. Determining whether the outlet or the electrical item is the problem is essential. If your device works in a different outlet (especially in another room), it means the outlet is the main issue.
Reset the GFCI
A major reason an outlet might stop working is its connection to a tripped GFCI outlet. Most outlets have a reset button. If you can’t find it, another outlet in the circuit will have the reset button.
The circuit’s reset button is on a GFCI outlet, usually found in the bathroom or kitchen but sometimes in places like the garage or laundry room. It might take some searching, but once found, resetting a GFCI outlet is a simple fix for a dead outlet.
Check the Breaker Panel
Sometimes, a bad circuit breaker, not the outlets, is the source of the problem. By examining your home’s electrical panel, you can usually determine which breaker is bad. Many circuit breaker boxes are labeled to indicate which circuits connect to which areas of the house. If this is true, flipping the breaker off and then back on can often resolve the issue. There are cases where the breaker itself is faulty or has a loose connection. If so, the breaker needs to be replaced.
Call Your Landlord
Regardless of the electrical issue, be sure to inform your landlord about the problem and the troubleshooting steps you’ve taken. Frequent occurrences of these issues may indicate more serious electrical problems.
When troubleshooting fails to resolve non-working outlets, your landlord needs to contact a professional electrician. In any case, clear communication with your La Mesa property manager is the key to quickly resolving electrical problems.
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Originally published: April 2, 2021
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