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Power out in one room? Check these 4 things

When part of your house loses power but the rest is fine — usually a tripped breaker or GFCI.

Last reviewed May 31, 2026 by the EveryDIY.ca editorial team

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Safety first. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. Smell gas? Leave the house and call your utility's emergency line — do not flip switches.

Check these in order

  1. Tripped breaker — open the panel door. A tripped breaker sits between On and Off. Push it fully Off, then back On. (Don't just nudge it back from the middle position — it won't reset.)
  2. GFCI outlets — kitchen, bathroom, garage, and outdoor outlets are protected. Press the Reset button on the outlet itself. One tripped GFCI can kill several downstream outlets on the same circuit.
  3. Half-switched outlet — some bedroom outlets are wired so one half is controlled by a wall switch. Check the switch.
  4. Light bulb burned out? — Sometimes that's all it is. Try a known-good bulb.

If the breaker trips again immediately

  • Unplug everything in that room. Reset the breaker. Plug things back in one by one until you find the culprit.
  • If it trips with nothing plugged in, you have a wiring issue. Call a licensed electrician.

Don't

  • Don't open the breaker panel cover.
  • Don't replace a breaker yourself.
  • Don't tape a tripped breaker in the On position. People die from this.
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Editorial note. Wear appropriate PPE. When in doubt — especially with electrical, gas, or structural work — hire a licensed Canadian tradesperson. See our safety policy.