Sometimes we take advantage of the fact that when we flip a switch, the light comes on. We fail to understand all of the things that must be working properly in order for this to happen. When the day comes that you flip the switch and nothing happens, try these simple troubleshooting tips to diagnose the problem before contacting an electrician:
Related Read: Electrical Troubleshooting: Is It the Wiring of the Light or the Wiring of Your Home
Check the Basics
Despite how certain you are that the lamp is plugged in or that you flipped the right switch, check anyways. Far too often the obvious and simple are the most overlooked cause and sometimes even the culprit. Sometime a cord can come loose, or your forgot to flip the switch that powers a specific outlet, double and triple-check that everything is plugged in correctly.
Related Read: An Electrician’s Guide to Power Outages
Inspect the Physical
You are checking for more than the obvious here, such as the bulbs and cords. Be sure to unplug anything before inspection. For such fixtures as overhead or fluorescent lights, do a visual inspection of the housing unit. Anything such as a bad bulb or broken cord should be apparent. Often times a wire can become frayed causing it to no longer function properly. These are the things that might not seem apparent until a thorough inspection.
Related Read: 5 Warning Signs That Your Home’s Electrical System is Outdated
Circuit Breaker
The circuit breaker could have shut off a circuit for any number of reasons. Checking for any issues here should be quickly resolved by switching on any breaker-switch that may have been activated. If you’re not familiar with the circuit breaker for you home, consider calling an electrician.
Outlet Tester
If the breaker switch didn’t resolve the problem and the light is on a circuit that is active, then a bad outlet may be the issue. Likely it’s an outlet that no longer has power running to it, using a test kit will quickly alert you if this is where the problem exists.
