When the lights flicker and die, you may be surprised to learn that the power went out in one room, but not the rest of your Indianapolis home. If you can’t DIY your way into restored electricity after a few troubleshooting tricks, you may have a more serious problem that will require repairs or replacements.

A power outage in one area of the home can be a pain. Read for some tips that can help get the lights back on.

Why Is There No Electricity in One Room Only?

There are a few reasons the power may go off in one room, but not the rest of your home. You may have overloaded a circuit or tripped a GFCI outlet, or you could be the victim of failing electrical parts. Let’s narrow down the cause of your partial power outage.

So, the Electricity Doesn’t Work in One Room: Have You Checked the Breaker?

The first thing you should do when part of your home loses power is to check your circuit breakers. There are two main causes for a tripped breaker.

  1. You have too many devices drawing power from the same circuit at the same time.
  2. A faulty electronic device or appliance short-circuited the system.

If a circuit breaker is set to the “off” position – the opposite direction from all the other switches in the same row – it’s been tripped.

How to Fix It: Unplug everything you can in the room fed by that circuit, or you risk blowing it again as soon as you flip the switch. Flip the circuit breaker into the “on” position to restore power to the room. If you suspect a faulty device, plug things in one by one until you find which one trips the breaker. You’ll need to repair or replace that device.

The Power’s Out in One Room, But the Breaker’s Not Tripped

If a tripped circuit breaker isn’t the culprit, the next most likely cause of a partial power loss is a tripped GFCI outlet. Just like a circuit breaker, a GFCI outlet will trip when devices attempt to draw too much power at once. Remember that there could be other outlets “downstream” of the GFCI outlet on the same circuit, and all those outlets will stop working as well. The cause of the outage could be something as simple as plugging in too many devices to the circuit the GFCI outlet is on.

How to Fix It: Find the GFCI outlet that controls the outlets and lights that aren’t working. This outlet may be in another room, even a room that has power. Check the kitchen and nearby bathroom first before branching out to other rooms; GFCI outlets are required in rooms with water access. Press the button labeled “reset,” which is usually red. If it was sticking out and you’re able to depress it, check the affected room to see if power is restored.

How Do I Fix No Power in One Room If It’s Not A Circuit or GFCI Problem?

Your fix depends on what caused the problem in the first place. However, if the two easy fixes don’t restore power, you likely have a deeper issue, like a worn-out circuit breaker or faulty wiring. Call an electrician to diagnose and repair the problem.

What to Do if the Power Keeps Going out in One Room

If the circuit breaker keeps tripping in one room, you may need another circuit breaker to handle the demand for power in that area. The wires in your system can only handle so much electrical load at one time; that’s why your breaker trips when too many things are plugged into it. This is also why large appliances like washers and dryers, refrigerators, and EV chargers should have their own dedicated 240-volt circuits.

A GFCI outlet that keeps tripping is probably going bad. If your GFCI outlet keeps shutting off, even when not much is plugged in, schedule a new outlet installation.

When the Power Goes Out in One Room, Call Us for Expert Repairs

If you can’t pinpoint the problem behind your partial outage, the professional electricians at Mister Sparky of Indianapolis can diagnose and repair or replace the parts that need attention. Stop struggling with partial outages and book an appointment online or give us a call today at (317) 342-0959.