Whole House Power Out? Find the safest next step.
Use neighbor/utility context to separate an area outage from a property-only service or electrical problem. Fix Navigator starts with what you can safely observe, checks the warning signs that change the response, and then hands the problem to the electrical diagnostic engine at the relevant branch.
First: check the conditions that change everything.
A useful diagnosis starts by separating an ordinary repair problem from the situations where routine troubleshooting should stop.
- There is smoke, active arcing, fire, a significant shock, or a surface that appears energized.
- Water is contacting electrical equipment, or a panel/device is hot, melted, badly discolored, or rapidly worsening.
What matters most with this problem?
Use neighbor/utility context to separate an area outage from a property-only service or electrical problem. The pattern below is more useful than guessing the failed part.
Which description is closest to what you see?
Choose the closest pattern, then continue in the full engine for the exact routing logic.
A local cause is more likely than a whole-home/system problem. Continue into the full Fix Navigator branch for the next safety and routing questions.
The problem may be upstream or system-wide. Continue into the full Fix Navigator branch for the next safety and routing questions.
Timing can identify the right diagnostic branch. Continue into the full Fix Navigator branch for the next safety and routing questions.
Safety overrides routine troubleshooting. Continue into the full Fix Navigator branch for the next safety and routing questions.
Safe things you can do before the diagnosis
Do this only through normal homeowner controls and only when reaching them does not expose you to the hazard.
Those observations often determine whether the issue is local, system-wide, weather-related, equipment-related or an emergency.
Avoid repeated testing, destructive investigation and unsafe access while you move through the diagnostic route.
What not to do
- Do not remove panel, outlet, switch or fixture covers to inspect energized wiring.
- Do not repeatedly reset a breaker or GFCI that continues to trip.
- Do not touch wet, hot, melted, sparking or visibly damaged electrical components.
- Do not use water on energized electrical equipment.
The professional depends on the result - not just the keyword.
The same search symptom can route to different trades. The diagnostic engine is designed to make that distinction before the provider CTA.
Whole House Power Out questions
What is the first thing to check when whole house power out?
Start with the safety conditions and the observable pattern - not a guessed failed part. Use neighbor/utility context to separate an area outage from a property-only service or electrical problem.
Can I troubleshoot whole house power out myself?
Only the normal homeowner-accessible checks shown on the page and in the Fix Navigator engine. Do not open energized equipment, enter unsafe areas, perform roof access, defeat safety devices, or begin destructive investigation.
Who should I call for whole house power out?
The correct professional depends on the result of the diagnostic branch. For this page the primary route is Licensed electrician, Electric utility when service/outage symptoms point upstream.
Why does Fix Navigator ask about timing and location?
Because the same visible symptom can come from different systems. Timing, location, what else is affected, and danger signs often route the problem more reliably than asking a homeowner to identify a failed component.
General homeowner decision support only. A remote diagnostic cannot confirm the failed component or make an unsafe area safe. Follow local emergency guidance when immediate danger is present and use qualified professionals for work outside normal homeowner-accessible checks.