What should I do if the power goes out in my whole house?

Start by checking your neighbours, it may be a utility issue. If it is just
your house you can check your main switch in you panel to see if it needs to be reset. If that does not fix the problem, call your local utility.

What can I do if I lose some of the power in my house?

You can check the main house panel to see if a fuse has blown or a breaker has tripped. If that does not solve the problem you can check GFCI outlets (the one with the reset button, usually in bathrooms and outside) to see if it has tripped. If this does not fix the problem you should contact an electrician.

What can I do if I am resetting the breaker or replacing the fuse and it keeps tripping or blowing?

Unplug everything and turn off all the lights on that circuit. Then try to reset/replace the fuse/breaker. If it still does not work the problem is in wiring and you should call an electrician. If the circuit resets then plug things back in and switch the lights on one at a time – if you plug something in and it trips the circuit the problem may lay in the item you are using. If you cannot find the problem with this method, you should contact your electrician.

What happens when I plug in something and I see sparks?

This is a normal occurrence, especially for an item that may be in the ‘on’ position (such as kettles, heaters etc). This can however be a problem when the plug is loose in the receptacle. If the cord end is able to fall out or hang loose you need to replace the receptacle.