Check for:

• Loose wiring.
• Faulty receptacle.
• Short circuit.

Remedies:

• Tighten connections at receptacle.
• Replace receptacle.
• Test for short circuit; make necessary repair.

Check for:

• Loose wiring.
• Faulty switch.

Remedies:

• Tighten connections at switch or fixture.
• Replace switch.

Check for:

• Overloaded circuit.
• Short circuit.
• Loose wiring.
• Faulty switch.

Remedies:

• Test for overload; make necessary adjustment.
• Test for short circuit; make necessary repair.
• Tighten connections at switch.
• Replace switch.

A blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker is a signal that you may have either a short circuit or an overload in the electrical system.

• Look for black smudge marks on switch or receptacle cover plates, or for frayed or damaged cords or damaged plugs on lamps and appliances connected to the dead circuit.
• Replace a damaged cord or plug.
• Then replace the fuse or reset the breaker.
• If the circuit goes dead after an appliance has been in use for a short time, you probably have an overloaded circuit.
• Move some of the lamps and appliances to another circuit and replace the fuse or reset the circuit breaker for the first circuit.

• Turn off all wall switches and unplug every lamp and appliance on the dead circuit.
• Install a new fuse or reset the tripped breaker.
• If the fuse blows or the breaker trips right away, the problem may be a short circuit in a switch or receptacle.
• With the circuit dead, remove each cover plate and inspect the device and its wiring.
• Look for charred wire insulation, wire shorted against the metal box or a device that's defective.
• Replace a defective device.
• Call in an electrician to replace faulty wiring.
• If the new fuse doesn't blow or the breaker doesn't trip right away, turn on each wall switch, one by one, checking each time to see if the fuse has blown or the circuit breaker has tripped.
• If turning on a wall switch causes a fuse to blow or the breaker to trip, there's a short circuit in a light fixture or receptacle, controlled by that switch, or there's a short circuit in the switch wiring.
• With the circuit dead, inspect the fixture, receptacle, and switch for charred wire insulation or faulty connections.
• Replace a faulty switch or fixture.
• Call in an electrician to replace wiring.

If turning on a wall switch doesn't blow a fuse or trip the breaker, the trouble is in the lamps or appliances.

• Test them by plugging them in one by one.
• If the circuit doesn't go dead, the circuit was overloaded.
• Move some of the lamps or appliances to another circuit.
• If the circuit does go dead just after you've plugged in a lamp or appliance, then you've found the offender.
• If the circuit goes dead as soon as you plug in a lamp or appliance, the plug or cord is probably at fault and should be replaced.
• If the circuit goes dead when you turn on the lamp or appliance, the appliance or lamp or its switch is probably defective and should be replaced or repaired.