What to Do If Your Home Has Partial Power After a Storm in St. Louis

If your home has partial power after a storm in St. Louis, you should immediately turn off non-essential appliances, check your circuit breaker panel for tripped switches, contact your utility company, inspect for visible damage, and call a licensed electrician if you’re unsure.
Similar steps apply to homeowners in Nashville.

 

Understanding Partial Power

 

Partial power means some parts of your house have electricity while others do not. This can happen when a storm damages power lines, transformers, or your home’s wiring. You might see lights on in the kitchen but not in the living room, or some outlets may work while others stay dark.

 

Prioritize Safety

 

Before you do anything, make sure you and your family are safe.

• Stay away from downed power lines—they may still be live and can cause serious injury or death.
• Keep children and pets clear of flooded areas or puddles near electrical outlets and devices.
• If you smell burning or see sparks, evacuate immediately and call 911 from a safe distance.

 

Check Your Circuit Breaker Panel

 

Your breaker panel is the metal box, often in a basement or garage, where electrical circuits are controlled. A breaker switch will “trip” (move to the off position) if it detects an overload or short circuit.

• Open the panel door and look for any switches that are not lined up with the others. A tripped breaker usually sits in the middle position or clearly reads “OFF.”
• To reset it, first turn that switch fully to “OFF,” then flip it back to “ON.”
• If it trips again immediately, do not keep resetting. This means there is a fault on that circuit.

 

Turn Off and Unplug Appliances

 

Power surges or repeated tripping can damage electronics and appliances.

• Unplug devices like TVs, computers, microwaves, and other sensitive equipment.
• Leave large appliances such as refrigerators or air conditioners off until full power is restored to avoid compressor damage.

 

Contact Your Utility Company

 

Your electric utility tracks outages and repairs in your area.

• Call the number on your electric bill or visit their website to report partial power. Provide your address and describe which parts of your home are affected.
• Ask if crews are already working near you and for an estimated time of complete restoration.

 

Inspect Visible Damage

 

After confirming the utility has no widespread outage, look for damage you can safely spot.

• Check your meter base (the box on the outside of your home) for cracks, burn marks, or loose connections.
• Examine exterior outlets and any wiring you can see for broken insulation or water intrusion.
• Do not touch any exposed wires—if you see them, keep your distance and note their location for a professional.

 

When to Call a Licensed Electrician

 

If power issues persist after resetting breakers and unplugging devices, a qualified electrician is needed.

• Repeated breaker trips on the same circuit suggest a wiring problem or bad breaker.
• Flickering lights, burning smells, or warm outlets point to loose connections or overloaded circuits.
• An electrician can perform a full inspection, test voltage levels, replace faulty breakers, and repair wiring safely.

 

Prepare for Future Storms

 

Taking steps now can reduce risks next time.

• Label circuits in the breaker panel for quick identification.
• Install surge protectors for major appliances and your home’s main electric panel.
• Keep emergency supplies on hand: a battery-powered light, portable phone chargers, and a basic tool kit.
• Consider a home standby generator if outages happen often in your area.

Once power is fully restored, plug appliances back in one at a time. Monitor them for proper operation. Taking these careful steps after partial power can keep your family safe, protect your equipment, and ensure that a simple storm impact does not turn into a complex electrical emergency.