Visual Inspection
If you have an appliance, lamp, or electrical device that stops functioning, the very first thing to do is to check the outlet and the electrical cord for signs of damage. Now and again, a power outlet will malfunction and go dead. There may be obvious marks of damage, in particular discoloration. Also, take into consideration to investigate all plugs and cords for breaks, fraying, and other damage. If either the outlet or the cord is damaged, it’s most likely time to replace them.
Try a Different Outlet
If your outlet and power cord look good, your next possible move is to try plugging your lamp or device into a different outlet. It’s necessary to determine whether the outlet or the electrical item is the reason for the issue. If you plug your device into a different outlet (preferably one in a different room) and it happens to work well, then you’ve successfully ascertained that the outlet is the main issue.
Reset the GFCI
Among the most common reasons an outlet will stop working is because it is connected to a GFCI outlet that has tripped a circuit. Many outlets will have a reset button. If you cannot find it, the reset button will be on another outlet within that circuit. The reset button for the overall circuit is found on a GFCI outlet, typically located in your bathroom or kitchen, but every so often, in a more obscure location like the garage or laundry room. You may need to go in search of it, however once you do, resetting a GFCI outlet is a worry-free fix for a dead outlet.
Check the Breaker Panel
At times, the cause of the problem isn’t the outlets themselves but a bad circuit breaker. You can oftentimes determine which breaker has gone bad by examining your home’s breaker panel. Quite a lot of breaker panels have clearly labeled circuits, indicating which ones are connected to which areas of the house. If such is the case, at times just flipping the breaker off and then back on can rectify the issue. In some instances, the breaker itself may be bad or have a loose connection. In that case, then the breaker has to be replaced.
Call Your Landlord
Doesn’t matter what sort of electrical issue you run into, ensure to call your landlord and say both what the problem is and what you’ve done to troubleshoot it. In many cases, it may be a call to just really tell them that you had an issue that you resolved after applying the strategies above. But be aware that if these types of problems occur constantly, that can be a forewarning of bigger electrical problems. If you’ve conducted some troubleshooting and still have non-working outlets, your landlord will need to call in a professional electrician to check everything out. Whatever the case, good communication with your Salt Lake City property manager is the best solution to get electrical issues wholly repaired.
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