No Power to the House? What to Check First
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If the whole house has lost power, first check whether your neighbours are also out, then look at the safety switches and the main switch on your switchboard. Many outages are the network, or a single tripped switch. If everything on the board is up and you still have no power, or you smell burning, call an electrician.
No power and tripping calls are a regular part of our week: over 300 jobs for home owners in the 12 months to October 2026 involved a fault, no power or a tripping circuit.
Step 1: Is it just your house?
Look outside. Are the street lights, your neighbours' windows or the traffic lights out? If so, the problem is probably on the network and not in your home.
SA Power Networks looks after the poles and wires in the street and takes outage and electric shock calls on 131 366. Wait for them to restore supply before you reset anything at home.
Step 2: Check your switchboard
Open the switchboard door. You are looking for any switch that sits in a different position from the others.
- Safety switches (RCDs) often have a test button and trip when they sense a leak of current.
- Circuit breakers are the smaller switches. A tripped one usually sits in the middle or down.
- The main switch turns off the whole house.
- Old boards may have ceramic fuses instead of switches. Do not replace a fuse wire yourself.
Step 3: Reset safely
Only do this if the board is dry, undamaged and has no burning smell.
- Unplug or switch off the appliances in the affected rooms.
- Stand to the side, dry hands, and push the tripped switch fully down, then up.
- If it holds, plug appliances back in one at a time.
- If it trips again straight away, leave it off.
Step 4: Find out what tripped it
When the switch holds with nothing connected, but trips when you plug something in, that appliance is likely faulty. Leave it unplugged and get it repaired or replaced.
If it trips with nothing plugged in, or the trips keep coming back, the problem is in the wiring. Our guide on why your power keeps tripping covers the common causes.
When it is not safe to keep trying
Stop and call an electrician if you notice any of the following, and read what counts as an electrical emergency if you are unsure:
- A burning smell, scorch marks or a hot switchboard.
- Water in the switchboard or in a light fitting.
- Buzzing, crackling or a hot power point.
- A switch that will not stay up, or is loose or cracked.
- Only part of the house is out and the switches all look normal.
Common causes of a house with no power
- A power outage on the street or a planned maintenance shutdown.
- A tripped safety switch caused by a faulty appliance, such as a kettle or heater.
- Water getting into an outdoor power point or light after rain.
- An old or overloaded switchboard (see switchboard upgrades).
- A fault at the meter box or the service cable from the pole.
- Rodents or age damaging wiring in the roof or walls.
Call us when you cannot fix it
If the checks above do not bring the power back, call Hoile Electrical on 0482 099 388. We are available 24 hours, 7 days, including after hours. Tell us which switches have tripped and what you have tried. It helps us work out what is wrong before we arrive. You can read how we track down a fault on our electrical fault finding page, or see our emergency electrician service for after-hours calls.
While you wait, keep the fridge and freezer closed, and use torches instead of candles.
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Common questions
Why has the power gone off in just one part of my house?
Usually a tripped circuit breaker or safety switch on that circuit. Check the switchboard. If it keeps tripping, there is a fault on that circuit that needs an electrician.
Do I call SA Power Networks or an electrician?
If the street or your neighbours are also out, call SA Power Networks on 131 366. If only your house is out, check your switchboard, then call an electrician.
Is it safe to reset a tripped safety switch?
Yes if the board is dry, undamaged and has no burning smell. Switch off appliances first. If it trips again at once, do not keep trying.
Why does my power go off when it rains?
Water may be getting into an outdoor power point, light or wiring and tripping the safety switch. Have it checked. Do not touch wet electrical fittings.
Can an old switchboard cause no power?
Yes. Old boards, especially ones with ceramic fuses, can fail, overheat or blow fuses. If your board is old, an upgrade may be the long-term fix.
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