The power just went out. It could be a tripped breaker, or something more serious. Before calling an electrician, run through a few quick checks — the problem is often fixed in five minutes.
Safety warning: do not touch exposed wiring, wet outlets, or damaged cables. Working on electrical installations without a licence is both dangerous and illegal.
Step 1: check the breaker panel
Go to the electrical panel — usually in the hallway or entrance area. Check whether any circuit breaker is in the middle or off position. If one is, simply flip it back. If it trips again immediately, there is a fault on that circuit and you need an electrician.
Step 2: check for a grid outage
Look out the window — do your neighbours have power? If not, the problem is with the electricity supplier. In Warsaw, you can check the outage map on your supplier’s website or app. If it is a grid issue, there is nothing to do but wait.
Step 3: identify which circuit failed
If the outage is limited to your flat and all breakers look normal, test the outlets room by room. A faulty appliance can trip an entire circuit. Unplug everything on the suspect circuit, then reset the breaker and plug devices back in one by one.
- Breaker trips immediately after reset — there is a short circuit in the wiring or an appliance.
- Power in part of the flat but not all — one circuit has failed.
- Power present but a specific outlet is dead — likely physical damage to the outlet.
Step 4: check the meter
If you have a prepayment meter or outstanding bills, that could be the cause. In older Warsaw buildings, the main fuse on the staircase can also cut power to an entire flat.
When you need an electrician
If the breaker keeps tripping, you smell burning, see a scorched outlet, or simply cannot find the cause — stop experimenting. Working inside an electrical panel without a licence is a genuine risk.
HandyMan24 has certified electricians working across Warsaw. Submit a request through the form on the site and we will schedule a visit at the earliest convenient time.
Useful things to know for the future
- Know where your breaker panel and main shutoff are located.
- Keep a physical torch handy — not just your phone torch.
- Do not overload sockets with unprotected multi-adapters.
- Old wiring (pre-1990s) should be inspected — faults are far more common.