Reset Your Breakers

How to turn on for safety

If a circuit is overloaded or shorts, the breaker will trip and cut power to prevent fire and possible electrocution. Follow these steps to turn the power back on.

1. Turn off the light switches and unplug appliances in all rooms that have lost power.
2. Find your circuit breaker box and open the cover.
3. Locate the tripped breaker. Circuit breakers are small, usually horizontal switches and can be labeled by the areas of the house they serve (e.g., "kitchen," "bathroom" etc.). The tripped circuit breaker will be in the "off" position or in a middle position between "on" and "off."
4. Reset the breaker by moving it to the full "off" position and then back to "on." That should clear an overload and return power to the room. If the breaker re-trips, you may have too many lamps and appliances plugged into the circuit; a damaged cord or plug; a short circuit in a receptacle, switch or fixture; or faulty wiring.
5. Identify and fix what had been causing any problems before finally resetting the breaker.

Tips & Warnings

• If the breaker still re-trips, reset it only when you've corrected the problem, or call an electrician.
• Most tripped breakers are easily identified by an orange flag that appears when a breaker is in the tripped position.
• If your home has fuses instead of circuit breakers, follow the same steps for finding the blown fuse, then replace it with a new one of the same amperage.
• When resetting a breaker use only one hand and stand to the side to avoid electrical arc if the breaker should malfunction.
• Working with electrical systems is potentially dangerous. If you're unsure of your abilities or about any aspect of the job, call an electrician.