Loss of power through the whole house: mains outage
If there is no power anywhere in the whole house, ask your neighbours if they have power. If they have no power either, there is probably an outage in the central electricity grid. Inform them by calling 0800 9009. This is a free number that you can call at any time of the day or night.
No power in part of your home
Is the power failure limited to a certain section of your home? This will probably be due to a blown fuse. Fuses can blow when an electrical device is not working properly or if there are too many devices plugged into the same outlet.
Fuse box
In the meter cupboard, you will find two components located above the electricity meter which you can adjust yourself, if necessary: a circuit breaker and two (or more) switches with the associated fuses. This is known as a distribution board.
If a fuse ‘blows’, all you need to do is flick the switch back into the right position again, or replace the fuse. If the problem persists, it means that that particular ‘circuit’ is overloaded. You can test the power outlets one by one to see which particular outlet is causing the problem. If the electricity is out through the whole house, there may be a power failure.
No power in part of your home: test the power outlets
- Step 1: In the section of your home in which there is no power, disconnect all the plugs from the power outlets and turn all light switches to the ‘off’ position.
- Step 2: Flip the fuse switch to the ‘on’ position, or install a new fuse.
- Step 3: Connect the plugs back into the power outlets one by one. If the fuse flips back after you have reconnected a particular plug, you know which device is causing the problem.
- Step 4: If you still cannot identify the source of the problem, contact Lieven de Key