You lost power. You checked the utility — no area outage, they're not working on the lines. The problem is on your side of the meter. Now what? The specific cause determines who to call and what to do. It could be a tripped main breaker (easy). It could be a meter or weatherhead issue (utility's responsibility despite initial confusion). It could be a service entrance problem (licensed electrician). Figuring out which before calling saves hours and potentially hundreds of dollars in wrong-service-call fees.
This guide is part of the Know Before You Hire series. At Home Services Co, our electrical service handles emergency electrical issues.
Step 1: determine scope. Is only part of the house without power (half of outlets, one circuit, one room)? That's a tripped breaker or a specific circuit failure. Is the entire house without power? That's a main breaker trip or a service entrance issue. Are nearby houses also affected? That's a utility issue even if the utility denies it initially. Which scope applies determines the next steps.
Partial-power scenario (one circuit out). Locate the electrical panel. Look for a breaker in the middle position (between ON and OFF) or clearly in the OFF position — that's the tripped breaker. The breaker label should tell you which circuit it controls. Reset: flip fully OFF first, then back ON. If it holds, the circuit is restored. If it trips again immediately, you have an electrical fault — don't keep flipping it (that can damage equipment). Unplug everything on that circuit and try again. If it holds with nothing plugged in, the issue is with something plugged in (appliance fault). If it still trips with nothing plugged in, the circuit has a fault in the wiring or a device wired into it — call a licensed electrician. See hiring an electrician.
GFCI trips. Bathroom, kitchen, outdoor, and garage outlets typically have GFCI protection. If all outlets in one of these areas is dead but the breaker looks fine, look for a GFCI outlet with a tripped indicator (red light, or a popped reset button). Reset the GFCI by pressing the reset button. GFCI trips protect against ground faults — a common cause is water in an outdoor outlet. If the GFCI won't reset (trips immediately), there's an active fault somewhere downstream.
Whole-house power out scenario. Check the main breaker in your panel. The main breaker is the big switch at the top (sometimes bottom) of the panel, usually with a higher amperage rating (100A, 150A, 200A typical). If the main breaker is in tripped position, flip it fully off then back on. If it holds, power is restored. If it trips immediately, you have a major electrical fault — don't keep flipping; call an electrician. If the main breaker appears to be in the ON position but the house still has no power, the problem may be at the service entrance, meter, or utility connection.
Meter and service entrance issues. Your house has power coming from the utility through: overhead lines to a weatherhead (the connection point on or near your roof), through a service cable down to the meter, then into your main breaker panel. Problems at any of these points stop power to the house. Who's responsible varies by jurisdiction and utility: typically the utility is responsible from their lines to the meter (though meter-to-panel is usually homeowner). The weatherhead is often homeowner but utility-maintained in some areas.
If the utility says 'not us' but there's no area outage. Request they dispatch a technician to verify. Sometimes the utility's remote systems show 'service OK' while the actual service has failed — a dispatched tech with diagnostic equipment confirms reality. Be firm about the dispatch request. Utilities typically dispatch free for service confirmation. See emergency home services.
Problems the utility will address. Blown transformer on your pole (even if affecting only your house). Broken service line to your house. Meter failure. Issues on their side of the meter generally. These are utility responsibility at no cost to you. If the utility tech finds one of these, they repair it.
Problems the homeowner addresses. Damaged weatherhead (where service cable attaches to house, though some jurisdictions have this as utility responsibility). Service cable from weatherhead to meter that has been damaged. Main panel failure. Internal wiring issues. These require a licensed electrician. Electrician is homeowner's cost unless covered by homeowners insurance (for storm damage).
The weatherhead ambiguity. In some jurisdictions, the utility maintains the line up to a specific point (often the weatherhead), and the homeowner owns from the weatherhead down. In others, the division is at the meter. If the utility tech identifies a weatherhead issue, ask specifically who's responsible for that repair — the answer varies by utility and location.
Storm-related service damage. Trees falling on service lines, ice damage, wind damage — these can damage the service entrance equipment. Utility typically repairs their side quickly after storms. Homeowner side requires licensed electrician. If power is out due to storm damage, call utility first; they'll identify whose side is affected. See tree on your house.
When to call an electrician. Main breaker trips and won't stay reset. Service cable visibly damaged on your side. Panel makes unusual sounds (buzzing, crackling), smells unusual (burning, hot electrical), or has visible damage. GFCI or circuit breakers repeatedly trip on the same circuit. Any safety concern with the electrical system. Electrician emergency dispatch: $150-$500 typically plus diagnostic time and repair costs.
Electrical emergency warning signs. Burning smell from outlets or panel. Smoke from electrical equipment. Sparks from outlets, switches, or panel. Warm or hot outlets. These are fire risks — turn off the affected circuit if you can do so safely, or the main breaker, and call electrician immediately. Fire department if you see active fire.
The backup power option. Portable generator can power critical loads during extended outages. $500-$2,000 for adequate residential generator. Limitations: requires fuel, requires safe outdoor operation (CO hazard if improperly used), requires manual switching between generator and utility. Standby generator systems with automatic transfer switches ($5,000-$15,000 installed) handle outages automatically.
Prolonged outage preparation. For multi-day outages: food spoilage begins in refrigerator after 4 hours without power, freezer after 24-48 hours if unopened. Medical equipment dependent on power requires backup plans. Heat and cooling loss becomes significant in extreme weather. Consider: backup batteries for critical devices, ice to extend refrigerator life, alternative heat/cooling methods, evacuation if extended outage threatens health.
What to do during the wait. If outage is confirmed utility-side with extended timeline: unplug sensitive electronics (surge when power returns can damage). Keep refrigerator closed. Preserve phone battery for communication. Charge devices from car if needed. Follow utility updates.
After power is restored. Check breakers before reconnecting sensitive electronics — surge from restoration can trip breakers or damage equipment. Inspect appliances that were running when power failed — abrupt stops can damage some equipment. Reset clocks and programmable devices. Verify water heater is operating (if electric). Verify HVAC is functioning (restoration surge can trip these).
Preventing recurrent trips. If a circuit trips repeatedly in normal operation: the circuit is overloaded (too much equipment on one circuit) or faulty. Overloaded circuits need load reduction or circuit upgrade by electrician. Faulty circuits need electrician diagnostic and repair. Don't just keep resetting a tripping circuit — the repeated tripping is telling you something.
Service upgrades. If your home has 100-amp service and you're adding significant load (EV charger, heat pump, hot tub), service upgrade to 200-amp may be warranted. Costs $3,000-$5,500 typically. Also see hiring an electrician.
The summary. Check scope (one circuit, whole house, neighborhood). Circuit out: check breaker, check GFCI, identify fault source. Whole house out: check main breaker, contact utility with force if they deny. Service entrance issues: utility for their side, licensed electrician for yours. Emergency warning signs (burning, smoke, sparks): immediate action, potentially fire department. Have backup plans for prolonged outages.
At Home Services Co, our electrical service handles emergency electrical issues. Related: hiring an electrician, emergency services, tree on house, winter maintenance, pricing, book, or the full series.