Reasons Why Lighting in a House Wouldn't Turn On

Electrical Service

• The electrical services to your home may be disconnected. If you, or the person responsible for paying for the electrical service, overlooked the electric bill, the company may disconnect your service until the bill is paid. If you are moving into a new home, and discover that there is no electrical supply to the home, you may need to contact the electric company that services your area to open an account in your name.

Power Outage

• Power outages from storms or physical damage to electric lines may temporarily cut off your electric supply. This is common during inclement weather. Check with your electric company to determine if your area is experiencing a temporary outage.

Main Electrical Panel

• The main panel contains a breaker that controls the electrical supply to your entire home. If the lever has been moved to the "Off" position, the electrical supply to your home will be interrupted. Before restoring the switch to the "On" position, determine whether the breaker has been set to the "Off" position manually to temporarily shut off power, or if it has been tripped due to an overload on the wires. Check with others in your home, the owner of the property or the caretaker to determine if it is safe to reset the switch.

Blown Fuses or Tripped Circuits

• Fuses or circuits protect your electrical wiring from accidental overloads than can occur from using several electrical appliances at one time. Common culprits are space heaters, coffee pots, electric ovens and hair dryers. If you were using multiple electrical appliances before the loss of power, you may have blown a fuse or a circuit may have been tripped. This may cut off electricity to large sections of the home. Identify the offending appliances and disconnect them before replacing the fuse or resetting the circuit to restore power.