What should you check first?
- Look at the panel. Find any breaker that's off or in the middle position. Push it fully off, then back on.
- Check GFCI outlets in the bathrooms, kitchen, garage, basement, and outside. A tripped GFCI can kill outlets in other rooms.
- Note the pattern. Is it one room, a few outlets, or roughly half the house? Are the dead areas completely dead, or dim?
- Check your 240-volt appliances. If the electric dryer, range, water heater, or central air won't run but some lights work, you may have lost one of the two incoming legs of power.
- Ask a neighbor. If neighbors have partial power too, the problem is likely on City Utilities' side.
What are the common causes?
A tripped breaker or GFCI. The simplest case. One circuit is off, and resetting fixes it. If it trips again, see electrical repair.
A loose connection on a circuit. Outlets connected in a chain stop working past a loose or burned connection. The breaker stays on, but everything downstream is dead.
A lost leg of power. Homes get power on two hot wires. If one is lost, roughly half the circuits go dead and 240-volt appliances stop. The cause can be a failed main breaker, a loose connection at the meter or panel, damaged service wires, or a problem on the utility side. Storms make this more common, especially when ice or limbs pull on the service drop.
A failing neutral. If the shared neutral loosens or breaks, voltage swings between the two halves of the house. Lights on one side get bright, the other side dims, and electronics can be damaged. This is the most dangerous kind of partial outage.
Utility trouble. Damage to the transformer or the lines on the street can cause partial power for several houses at once.
Is it my problem or City Utilities'?
It depends on where the fault is. City Utilities is responsible for the lines up to your house. The meter base, the service mast, and the panel on your house are generally the homeowner's, and an electrician repairs them. When in doubt, call City Utilities first at 417-863-9000. They can check the voltage at the meter and tell you whether the problem is on their side.
To report a full outage, City Utilities takes reports at 1-888-863-9001 or online, according to its contact page. Nixa Utilities customers report outages to the City of Nixa instead. See our Nixa page.
When do you need an electrician?
Call when:
- Resetting breakers and GFCIs doesn't restore power
- Roughly half the house is out, or 240-volt appliances won't run, and City Utilities says its side is fine
- Lights are brighter in some rooms and dimmer in others
- There's a burning smell, buzzing, or heat at the panel
- The partial outage started after a storm damaged the service mast or meter
Repairs at the meter base or service equipment inside Springfield city limits need a permit and inspection before City Utilities reconnects. For storm-related damage, see storm damage electrical repair.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some lights work but my dryer and AC don't?
That's the classic sign of a lost leg of power. 240-volt appliances need both legs, while lights and outlets on the remaining leg keep working. Call City Utilities, then an electrician if the problem is on your side.
Is it dangerous if some lights are really bright?
Yes. That can mean a failing neutral, which pushes higher voltage onto some circuits. Turn off and unplug electronics and call right away.
Can a bad main breaker cause half the house to lose power?
Yes. A main breaker can fail on one side. An electrician can test it and replace it if needed.
My neighbors have the same problem. Who do I call?
City Utilities. When several houses have partial power, the problem is usually on the utility's equipment.
Talk to an electrician in Springfield
Call and describe the problem or the project, or send the form with a few details. Someone will follow up to set a time to look at it.