Safety First
Always turn off the breaker before working on any electrical component. Use a non-contact voltage tester to confirm power is off before touching wires. Never work on live circuits. If you're unsure, call a licensed electrician — electrical mistakes can be fatal.
Tripped Breakers
A tripped breaker sits between ON and OFF. Reset it by pushing it fully to OFF, then back to ON. If it trips again immediately, there's an overloaded circuit or a short. Identify what's on the circuit and reduce the load. Persistent trips require an electrician.
Dead Outlets
Before replacing an outlet, check if it's a GFCI outlet or if it's on a GFCI circuit. GFCI outlets have TEST and RESET buttons — press RESET first. Also check the breaker panel. If neither fixes it, the outlet may need replacement. Turn off the breaker, swap the outlet, and test.
