When facing electrical issues in your rental property, such as flickering lights, outlets that don’t work, or often-tripping circuit breakers, you may seek ways to resolve them.
Although it’s vital to prioritize safety and think about hiring a licensed electrician for major issues, you can still attempt some troubleshooting for common electrical problems. By checking for tripped circuit breakers, testing outlets, and inspecting light fixtures, you can get a better grasp of the problem and decide how to move forward.
Visual Inspection
If an appliance, lamp, or device stops working, start by inspecting the outlet and cord for any damage. There are times when a power outlet malfunctions and stops working. You may notice visible signs of damage, such as discoloration. Likewise, check all plugs and cords for any breaks, fraying, or other damage. When damage is found in the outlet or cord, it’s likely time to replace them.
Try a Different Outlet
If your outlet and power cord appear undamaged, the next step is to try your lamp or device in another outlet. Determining whether the outlet or the electrical item is the problem is essential. If plugging your device into a different outlet (especially in another room) makes it work, the outlet is the main problem.
Reset the GFCI
A major reason an outlet might stop working is its connection to a tripped GFCI outlet. Most outlets are equipped with a reset button. If you can’t find it, another outlet in the circuit will have the reset button.
The circuit’s reset button is located on a GFCI outlet, often in the bathroom or kitchen, but sometimes in more hidden spots like the garage or laundry room. It might take some searching, but once found, resetting a GFCI outlet is a simple fix for a dead outlet.
Check the Breaker Panel
Sometimes, the issue isn’t with the outlets but with a faulty circuit breaker. Frequently, you can spot the faulty breaker by looking at your home’s electrical panel. Circuit breaker boxes often have labeled circuits indicating which areas they cover. When this is the case, turning the breaker off and on again can often solve the issue. In other instances, the breaker might be defective or have a loose connection. If this is the case, the breaker will need replacing.
Call Your Landlord
No matter the electrical problem, always call your landlord to report the issue and describe the troubleshooting steps you’ve taken. Frequent occurrences of these issues may indicate more serious electrical problems.
If troubleshooting doesn’t solve the non-working outlets, your landlord should bring in a professional electrician. Regardless, maintaining good communication with your Nashville property manager ensures swift resolution of electrical issues.
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