Partial Outage: When Some Rooms Lose Power
If your whole house loses power, check with neighbors — it's probably BC Hydro's issue.
But if only part of your home loses power while the rest works, the problem is likely inside your house. Here's how to troubleshoot safely.
Step 1: Check the Obvious
Before anything else:
Check the affected devices:
- Are they plugged in properly?
- Try plugging something else into the same outlet
- A single dead outlet might just be that outlet, not the circuit
Check GFCI outlets: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlets (the ones with Test/Reset buttons) protect entire circuits. One tripped GFCI can kill power to multiple outlets — even in other rooms.
Find all GFCI outlets in your home (bathrooms, kitchen, garage, outdoor) and press the Reset button on each one.
Step 2: Check Your Breaker Panel
Go to your electrical panel and look for:
A breaker in the middle position: When a breaker trips, it doesn't go fully to "off" — it moves to a middle position. Look carefully.
How to reset:
- Push the breaker firmly to OFF
- Then push it to ON
If it trips again immediately, you have a problem on that circuit. Don't keep resetting it.
If no breakers appear tripped: The issue may be a loose connection or a breaker that's failing silently.
Step 3: Identify What's on the Circuit
Figure out which outlets/lights are affected:
- Are they all in one room?
- Are they on the same floor?
- Do they share a wall?
This helps identify which circuit is involved. In older homes, circuit layouts can be illogical — a bedroom outlet might share a circuit with the garage.
Common Causes of Partial Outages
1. Tripped Breaker (Most Common)
Usually caused by:
- Overloaded circuit (too many things plugged in)
- A faulty appliance
- A short circuit somewhere
Fix: Reset the breaker. If it trips again, unplug everything on that circuit and try again. Add items back one at a time to find the culprit.
2. Tripped GFCI
GFCIs protect against shock hazards. They trip for:
- Moisture
- Faulty appliances
- Wiring issues
Fix: Reset the GFCI. If it won't reset, there's a ground fault somewhere.
3. Lost Neutral (Serious)
If you notice:
- Some lights are super bright
- Others are dim
- Appliances behaving strangely
You may have lost your neutral connection. This is dangerous. Turn off the main breaker and call an electrician immediately.
4. Loose Connections
Outlets and switches can work loose over time. A loose wire connection creates:
- Intermittent power
- Arcing (sparking)
- Fire hazard
Don't try to fix this yourself. Loose connections inside walls need an electrician.
5. Faulty Breaker
Breakers wear out. A failing breaker may:
- Not trip when it should
- Trip for no reason
- Not deliver power even in the ON position
Breaker replacement requires an electrician.
When to Call an Electrician
Call if:
- Breaker trips immediately when reset
- Breaker is hot to touch
- You smell burning
- GFCI won't reset
- Multiple breakers are affected
- You see scorch marks anywhere
- Power is intermittent (flickering, cutting out)
- You're not comfortable troubleshooting
Call urgently if:
- You notice a burning smell
- Outlets or switches are warm or discolored
- You see sparks
- Lights are abnormally bright or dim
What NOT to Do
Don't keep resetting a breaker that won't stay on — there's a reason it's tripping
Don't use the circuit if you smell burning or see sparks
Don't ignore intermittent problems — they usually get worse
Don't open the panel to investigate (unless you're a licensed electrician)
Prevention
Don't overload circuits — especially with space heaters, hair dryers, and high-draw appliances
Test GFCIs monthly — press Test, then Reset
Replace old outlets — if they're loose or don't hold plugs firmly
Know your panel — label your circuits so you know what controls what