You could be watching your favourite tv show, in the middle of cooking dinner, or even on a video call and suddenly the power cuts off, leaving you in the dark! Power outages don’t care about what you’re doing or your needs, but they certainly disrupt your day!
Solving this electrical issue that caused the outage doesn’t have to be stressful. Finding the cause and fixing it is a lot easier when you know what you’re looking for.
Here are some of the most common causes of power outages and how you can fix them!
What causes a power outage and what can you do when it happens?
We spoke to our electrical team and here are the top things they came up with to find the issue and help you to get the power back on!
Tripped fuses
Tripped fuses are a common reason for a power outage. This can be caused by an overloaded circuit or a power surge.
Fuse boxes have an inbuilt safety precaution to cut the power when an anomaly is detected and this obviously results in part or all of your home losing power.
If it is a tripped fuse, it is usually a simple fix to get your power back up and running, solving this issue. Simply unplug your appliances, open your circuit breaker, identify which has been reset and switch it back to the ‘on’ position. If this doesn’t restore your power, there’s something else causing the issue and it best to call in an electrician.
Faulty circuit breaker
Another cause of power outages could be a faulty circuit breaker. This will usually cause ongoing, frequent power outages.
A faulty circuit breaker can come from loose or faulty wiring, wear and tear over time or the circuit may have been exposed to overload situations.
To fix this issue, you will need to call an electrician to identify the root of the problem and they will then advise you of the best option to fix it.
Overloaded power boards
A regular cause for outages is overloaded power boards.
With so many digital appliances in the home, families are often trying to increase the number of electrical outlets available so they use power boards to give the extra points. The issue is this can result in a power overload and fuse trips.
To prevent your power boards from causing a power outage, simply ensure you don’t overload them. Check the load levels on the unit and make sure you have a quality power board with a safety switch.
Faulty appliances
If you have a power outage that you believe is caused by a faulty appliance, you can plug in each appliance one by one until you find the culprit. To prevent this from happening again, you need to either repair or replace the faulty appliance.
Neighbourhood issues
Outages can also be caused by external issues. Damage to electrical equipment in your neighbourhood can often be the cause of blackouts and smaller power outages.
This damage can be caused by extreme weather, lightning strikes, fallen trees, accidents or other incidents.
In the event that it is a neighbourhood power outage caused by external issues, we recommend calling Ausgrid or your electrical company.
