Dead Outlets and Lights

[BK Cooker]

I have dead outlets (2) in basement right next to each other and (3) lights all controlled by switches that are not working. I also chased down one bad switch and bad light on the first floor. I am not sure that all of these are on one circuit and stumped on what to do before I call an electrician.

 

[FullySprinklered]

Double check the breakers. After that, start opening boxes and look for loose connections. Sometimes backwired connections don't stay put.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

They are in the basement, so the first thing to do is look for a tripped GFCI outlet, which could be anywhere.

 

[Jadnashua]

My vote is the same as HJ's...a tripped GFCI somewhere. The newest code calls for them nearly everywhere, but older houses, they were required in the basement and garage and bathrooms and exterior. In some ways, a GFCI circuit breaker might be easier, but the more costly solution, since you can go to the electrical panel to reset it either if there were an overload, or a ground fault without having to search for the GFCI that's feeding the stuff downstream. On some of my newer circuits, I've got GFCI CBs, but the only other required ones in my place came with GFCI receptacles because of it's age.