Outlet not working
The most common cause of a dead outlet — a tripped breaker or a tripped GFCI reset button — is something you can safely check yourself. Anything beyond that is electrical work, and electrical work is not something a Florida handyman is licensed to do, at any job size.
What is most likely wrong
| # | Cause | How common | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tripped breaker | Very common, safe to check yourself | Check your electrical panel for a breaker in the middle position (neither fully on nor off) and reset it by switching fully off, then on. |
| 2 | Tripped GFCI | Very common, safe to check yourself | Look for a GFCI outlet (with Test/Reset buttons) nearby, often in a kitchen, bathroom or garage — one GFCI can control several downstream outlets. |
| 3 | Wiring fault, loose connection or failed outlet | Requires a licensed electrician | If the breaker and every GFCI are already reset, the problem is inside the wiring or the outlet itself — a licensed electrician's job, not ours. |
What you can safely check yourself
- Check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker and reset it fully off, then on.
- Find and press the reset button on the nearest GFCI outlet — one GFCI often protects several outlets on the same circuit.
- If both of those are already fine, stop there — the next step is a licensed electrician's diagnosis, not a handyman repair.
If any of this involves opening an electrical panel, running new wiring, cutting into a gas or water line, or working higher than a stepladder safely reaches, stop and call a licensed tradesperson — that is not handyman-scope work, regardless of how small the fix looks.
Why this happens in this housing stock
Casselberry’s 1970s–80s housing stock (57.1% of parcels) is old enough that a lot of original wiring and panels have already been through at least one upgrade cycle — which is exactly why any electrical work here should go to a licensed electrician who can evaluate the whole circuit, not just swap a part.
Who this actually needs to call
Beyond the two checks above, electrical troubleshooting and repair is not handyman-scope work in Florida. Electrical contracting is licensed separately, and any paid electrical work — however small it looks — needs a licensed electrical contractor. There is no minor-job exemption for electrical the way there is for general handyman repairs.
We will not open a panel, replace an outlet, or run new wiring, and we will tell you plainly when a job has crossed from “handyman” into “electrician” territory. Find a licensed Florida electrical contractor at the DBPR licensee search: myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp.
Read more on our licensing guide and our can a handyman do electrical work in Florida page.
Not sure what you are looking at?
Send a photo, the approximate age of the house, and what you already checked. That is usually enough to know whether it is a handyman fix or needs a licensed trade.