When half the house goes dark, this is the first thing to check before calling anybody.
Quick answer Turn off or unplug things on the dead circuit. At the panel, find the breaker that’s in the OFF or middle position, push it firmly all the way to OFF, then back to ON. If outlets in a kitchen, bathroom, garage or outdoors are still dead, look for a GFCI outlet (TEST and RESET buttons) and press RESET. If it trips again right away, stop and call an electrician.
Tools & materials
- Flashlight
- A lamp or nightlight to test outlets
Steps
- Lighten the load. Turn off or unplug lamps, appliances and anything else on the dead circuit.
- Find the tripped breaker. Open the panel door. A tripped breaker sits at OFF or in a middle position close to ON, which can be hard to see.
- Reset it. Push the handle firmly all the way to OFF, then back to ON.
- Check for a GFCI. If outlets are still dead, look for an outlet with TEST and RESET buttons on the same circuit (often in a bathroom, kitchen, garage or outdoors). One GFCI can protect other outlets down the line. Press RESET firmly. Some GFCIs are breakers in the panel instead.
- Plug things back in one at a time.
- If it trips again, there’s a problem: an overloaded circuit, a bad appliance or a wiring fault. Leave it off and call a qualified electrician.
- Test GFCIs monthly (and after a power outage). Plug in a lamp, press TEST: the lamp should go off. Press RESET: it should come back on. If it doesn’t work either way, the GFCI needs to be replaced or checked by an electrician.
Safety: Keep your hands dry at the panel. A breaker or GFCI that keeps tripping is telling you something is wrong; don’t keep resetting it. Call a qualified electrician.
From https://www.djgaston.com/reset-a-breaker-or-gfci/ · Updated October 22, 2026