Take a breath. There are a few surprisingly common reasons why outlets stop working even when the breaker hasn’t tripped. Here’s how to troubleshoot like a pro—without frying yourself in the process.

Start by figuring out if it’s just one outlet or an entire area. Plug in a lamp or phone charger you know works and test nearby outlets.

If multiple outlets are dead, that whole circuit may have an issue downstream—meaning a single bad outlet could be taking out a chain of others.

If you’re in the kitchen, bathroom, garage, or anywhere near water, you probably have GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets—the ones with “RESET” and “TEST” buttons. These are designed to trip before your main breaker does.

Try this:

Sometimes, one tripped GFCI outlet can kill power to several others connected to it.

If it won’t reset: You’ve got a deeper electrical issue—like a ground fault or wiring problem—that needs a licensed electrician.

If you’re comfortable removing the outlet cover (and you’ve turned OFF the power at the breaker—don’t skip that part), take a look inside.

Signs of trouble include:

If you see any of that—stop. That’s not DIY territory. Call a professional before the problem escalates into an electrical fire.

Some outlets are wired so one plug is always on and the other is controlled by a wall switch. If one half of your outlet doesn’t work, look around for a random switch and flip it on.

You’d be amazed how many “broken” outlets are just waiting for the right switch to wake them up.

Some older homes or finished basements have subpanels or inline breakers hidden behind furniture, in closets, or even inside cabinets (because apparently that made sense to someone).

If you can’t find any reason your outlets died, check for a tripped switch in an unexpected spot—or a surge protector with a blown fuse.

If you’ve tried all the above and your outlets are still dead, it’s time to call in a licensed electrician. Common culprits include:

These are not “watch a YouTube video and wing it” problems—they are “safety hazards hiding behind drywall” problems.

Electrical issues can be sneaky. What looks like a simple dead outlet might be the early warning sign of a wiring failure. If your outlets aren’t working and your breaker didn’t trip, don’t guess—get it checked.

At WIREONE Electric, we diagnose dead outlets, flickering lights, and mysterious electrical gremlins every day. Our certified electricians will find the problem, fix it right, and make sure your home is safe and up to code.