As a homeowner, it is inevitable that you’ll have regular upkeep and repairs. Common annoyances include wall outlets that seem to stop working for no obvious reason. An outlet can stop working for a variety of different reasons, however:

An Open Circuit

An open circuit occurs when there is an opening where the circuit is attached, making the electrical current unable to pass. Loose wires, old wires or broken wires are typically the major causes of an open circuit. This kind of issue can cause more than one outlet at a time to go out.

An Overloaded Circuit

Overloaded circuits occur when either a fuse becomes blown or a piece of the circuit breaker malfunctions – both caused by overheating when too much electrical flow occurs at once. In response to the overheating, and as a way to prevent fires, a fuse is designed to break and a breaker is designed to switch off. While breakers can be manually reset, fuses must be replaced.

A Broken Outlet

An outlet can stop working when it has been installed incorrectly or poorly. These installations usually result in either the entire outlet shutting down or corrosion blocking the path of wires. Many times, a broken outlet must be replaced entirely because of mis-wiring.

A Short Circuit

A short circuit is another cause of a flipped breaker. These occur when a wire overheats and connects with another wire that reaches the ground. This forces all energy into the connection and a single circuit, thus overheating and flipping a breaker.

Remember, it is always important to wear gloves when handling an outlet, and all repairs or investigations should begin and end with a qualified, licensed technician.