Allow the hairdryer to thoroughly remove the moisture from the area before continuing, as any presence will cause the GFCI reset to be unsuccessful. To remove moisture, try plugging a hairdryer into a different outlet nearby and aim it at the GFCI outlet that has moisture present. If moisture happens to be present in the outlet, it’s crucial to remove all traces of it before resetting the GFCI and attempting to plug anything into it. When it trips, it shuts off and stops electricity through the outlet as a safety measure. If a GFCI outlet senses that there is moisture present in or near the outlet, it will trip as a way to prevent electrocution. If there’s moisture, try drying the outlet thoroughly with a hairdryer plugged into another outlet. If the breaker trips again after this fix, the issue could be a short circuit which can be dangerous and should be addressed by a licensed specialist. Be sure to reset the GFCI outlet as well. To reset it, first flip it to the “off” position, then switch it to the “on” position. However, if a switch is located in the middle position, that means it has tripped and needs to be reset. The breaker switch should either be flipped to “off” or “on. To determine if a breaker has tripped, look at the buttons inside the breaker box. Otherwise, check to see if the breaker for the corresponding room has tripped. Check the main electrical panel to see if a blown fuse causes the issue and if so, replace the fuse and reset the GFCI outlet. Here are a few things homeowners can do to try and identify the problem before calling in an expert electrician.Ī GFCI outlet won’t work if a breaker has tripped or if a fuse has blown. If a GFCI outlet isn’t working, triggers such as the presence of moisture or dust, bad electrical connections, or something more serious can cause the outlet to trip. When a GFCI won’t reset, it requires a bit of testing to figure out what’s going on. If an outlet is installed near any water source or moisture, building codes require that a GFCI outlet be used due to the increased risk of an appliance shorting.

These outlets sense an overload or surge in electricity and instantly trip, triggering the breaker to cut off the electrical current to minimize the risk of electrocution.

Why won’t my GFCI reset?Ī: Ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs, are outlets designed to shut off when it senses a ground fault or short in electricity. My GFCI test button won’t push in when I try to reset it, but nothing has tripped in the breaker box, and the hairdryer works when I plug it into outlets down the hall. Photo: Q: I went to use my hairdryer in the bathroom, but I discovered some of the outlets have stopped working.

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