What to do if your home electrics trip out

First, find your fuse box. It’s usually in the hallway, under the stairs, or in the garage or utility area. You’ll need a torch or your phone light to see what you’re doing.

Open the cover. You will see a row of switches. If the power has cut out, one of these switches will be in the OFF position (flipped down), while the rest are ON (flipped up).

• Individual Circuit Switches: These control specific areas (e.g., “Downstairs Lights” or “Kitchen Sockets”).
• The RCD (Residual Current Device): This is a larger switch that often protects a group of circuits. If this is down, multiple areas of the house will be dark.

Try flipping the tripped switch back to the ON position.

• If it stays up: It might have just been a temporary “blip” or a lightbulb blowing. You’re good to go.
• If it trips again immediately: You have a persistent fault. Proceed to the next step.

If the power won’t stay on, a specific device is likely the culprit.

1. Unplug everything on that specific circuit. Don’t just turn them off at the wall; pull the plugs out.
2. Reset the switch at the fuse box. It should now stay in the ON position.
3. Plug things back in one by one. When the power trips again, the last thing you plugged in is your “villain.” Common culprits include kettles, irons, and old fridges.

While most trips are caused by appliances, you should stop and call a professional if:

• You smell burning or plastic near the fuse box or any outlet.
• There are visible scorch marks on a socket.
• The switch trips repeatedly even when nothing is plugged in.
• The switch feels hot to the touch.