Broken Circuit Breaker

Sometimes circuit breakers just wear out and need to be replaced. A knowledgeable homeowner with electrical skills can do the job. Otherwise, hire a good electrician.

Resetting Circuit Breakers

The first thing to understand is that a circuit breaker can have tripped off even when it looks like it's in the "ON" position. This is because a circuit breaker will sometimes trip off internally, without the "ON/OFF" handle flipping to the "OFF" position.

This is what to do when you have a loss of power that you suspect may be caused by a tripped circuit breaker.

1. Shut down any computer equipment that may be affected by a loss of power.

2. Go to your circuit breaker panel and firmly flip the first breaker OFF and then back ON again.

3. Do the same thing with each circuit breaker until you have flipped all of the circuit breakers OFF and then back ON again.

4. Now check and see whether the power is back on.

5. If your power has been restored... you're done! If your power is still out, it's time to call an electrician.