What homeowners usually notice
- Some rooms have power and others do not after the outage ends
- The air conditioner, range or dryer will not run while lights and outlets work
- Lights are noticeably dim, or brighten and dim as things turn on
- Bathroom, kitchen, garage or outdoor outlets are dead
What to do right now
- Turn off or unplug large appliances and electronics so they are not stressed by unsteady power
- Check the panel for any breaker in the off or middle position and reset it once, firmly off then on
- Test and reset GFCI outlets, which often trip during an outage
- Ask a neighbor whether their power is fully back; a shared problem points to the utility
- If lights are dim or flickering oddly across the house, report it to the utility and leave big loads off
Likely causes
Tripped breakers
The rush of every motor and compressor starting at once when power returns can trip a breaker. One reset usually handles it.
Tripped GFCI outlets
GFCI outlets often trip during an outage or restart, and one GFCI can control several other outlets downstream, including ones in another room.
Lost leg of power
Homes get two legs of power. If one is lost on the utility side, half the house goes dark and 240 V appliances like the dryer, range and heat pump will not run.
Damaged neutral
A damaged service neutral can make voltage swing, so lights are dim in one room and too bright in another. This can damage equipment quickly.
Appliance lockouts
Many heat pumps, air conditioners and appliances have delay timers or safety lockouts after an outage and restart on their own after a few minutes.
Safe checks you can make
- Map which rooms and appliances are out; a pattern of half the house points to a lost leg
- Look outside, from a safe distance, for limbs on the service drop or a damaged meter
- Check whether dead outlets share a GFCI you may have missed in a garage, bath or exterior wall
Leave outlet covers, switch plates and the panel cover in place. Noting what you see and hear is enough; testing inside boxes belongs to an electrician.
Is this something you can fix yourself?
A lot of post-outage trouble is a homeowner fix. Resetting a tripped breaker once, resetting GFCIs, waiting out an HVAC delay timer, and resetting clocks and appliance controls cover most calls. If the neighbors also have partial power, the utility is the right contact and there is nothing to fix inside your home. A dead appliance that has power at its outlet may need an appliance or HVAC technician. Call a licensed electrician when a breaker will not reset, when half the house stays out and the utility says their side is fine, or when brightness keeps changing.
When professional help is the right call
- A breaker trips again immediately after reset
- Half the home stays dark after the utility confirms their service is normal
- Lights flicker or brighten when appliances cycle
- The panel buzzes, feels warm or smells hot
- Outlets are dead and no tripped breaker or GFCI can be found
Safety first. Stop and call if you notice a burning smell, scorch marks, crackling from the panel, or lights that swing between dim and bright; unplug electronics and leave large loads off until it is checked. If there is smoke or flame, leave and call 911. Report any downed line to the utility and stay away from it.
What an electrician typically checks
An electrician will measure voltage on both legs and check the neutral at the panel and meter, which quickly shows whether the problem is inside the home or on the utility side. They will check breakers that will not hold, look for loose or heat-damaged connections, and trace dead outlets to a hidden GFCI or a failed connection.
If the issue is in the meter base, main breaker or branch wiring, they can repair it. If it is the utility's equipment, they can explain what to report. The guide to a partial power outage and the page on a breaker that won't reset go deeper.
Keeping it from coming back
When an outage starts, turn off or unplug major electronics and switch the thermostat off so everything does not restart at once. Label your panel so you can find tripped breakers fast, and know where every GFCI is. Panel-level surge protection helps with the spike that can come when power returns.