This guide addresses a specific and concerning situation: when roughly half of a home has power while the other half does not.
This pattern typically indicates a service-level issue, such as a problem with one leg of the electrical supply, a damaged neutral, or a utility-side fault.
This article is not about individual outlets or appliances failing. It focuses on whole-home power imbalance symptoms that require careful attention.
Why Only Half the House Has Power
Most homes receive electrical service split across two hot legs. When one leg loses power, roughly half of the circuits in the home stop working while the other half continue to operate.
Common Causes of Partial Power Loss
Tripped or failed breaker
A breaker may trip or fail internally, interrupting power to one side of the electrical panel.
Utility-side service issues
Problems with the service drop, meter base, or utility transformer can cause one phase to fail while the other remains active.
Loose or damaged connections
Loose connections at the panel or service entrance can lead to intermittent or partial power loss and should be addressed promptly.
Safe Checks You Can Perform
- Inspect the main electrical panel for tripped breakers
- Reset breakers once, firmly, if they appear tripped
- Note which rooms and appliances are affected
What Not to Do
- Do not remove the panel cover
- Do not ignore flickering lights or burning smells
- Do not attempt repairs beyond basic breaker checks
When to Call for Professional Help
If resetting breakers does not restore power, or if symptoms persist, the issue may be beyond safe homeowner troubleshooting. Review guidance on when to call an electrician after an outage for escalation criteria.
Related Outage Scenarios
Partial outages sometimes occur alongside broader utility issues. For related situations, see power outage but neighbors have power.
If your home shows mixed power after an outage, this visual safety flowchart helps you quickly spot danger signs, understand common partial-power patterns, and know when to stop troubleshooting and call an electrician.
Conclusion
When half the house has power, the cause is often identifiable and time-sensitive. Performing safe checks and recognizing warning signs helps protect your home while ensuring repairs are handled appropriately.
