How to change a fuse at home

Power outages are a huge inconvenience, leaving you in the dark and unable to use your important appliances. Oftentimes, this frustrating situation can be caused by something as simple as a blown fuse. While you might feel tempted to try fixing it yourself, dealing with anything electrical requires a careful and knowledgeable approach. You don't want to put yourself at risk or make things worse, after all.

Jump to

• Understanding the difference between fuses and circuit breakers
• Safety first – essential precautions
• How to change a fuse in a modern fuse box
• Preventing power outages 

Disclaimer: If your home is rented, it’s always advisable to check with your landlord or housing provider before proceeding with the following steps. If you rent your home from Places for People, you can contact us on 01772 667002 in England and Wales or 0131 657 0600 in Scotland. Alternatively, you can email us at CSC.General@placesforpeople.co.uk or make a repair request through your online account.    

Understanding the difference between fuses and circuit breakers

Many homes now run off circuit breakers, also known as consumer units. These work similarly to fuse boxes but are simpler to use. When a circuit overloads, the breaker automatically flips to the "off" position, interrupting the current. Unlike physical fuses, which need replacing, breakers can be reset once the problem is resolved.

Traditional fuse boxes contain individual fuses, each responsible for a specific circuit in your home. They are designed to safely interrupt the flow of electricity if there’s an overload. When a fault occurs, the filament melts, breaking the circuit and preventing potential damage to wiring or appliances.

Unsure whether your home has a fuse box or a consumer unit? It's best to consult a qualified electrician for assistance.  

If you’re a Places for People Customer and experience an electrical issue, make sure to get in touch to report a repair.

Safety first – essential precautions before changing a fuse at home

Before attempting any electrical work, prioritise safety with these crucial checks:

• Find your fuse box, usually located near your electricity meter, identify the power switch, and turn it off completely.
• Turn on a light switch in the affected area to make sure everything is powered down. If it remains off, you can continue.  Make sure your hands and any tools you use are completely dry, as moisture conducts electricity. Rubber gloves can also provide an extra layer of protection when handling fuses.  
• If you feel uncomfortable or unsure about any step in the process, don't hesitate to call a qualified electrician.

To find out more in how to stay safe around electricity, take a look at our 10 electrical safety tips at home . 

How to change a fuse in a modern fuse box

Here's a quick step-by-step on what to do if you experience an outage with a modern fuse box, also known as a consumer unit or circuit breaker. With these, there’s no need to change any physical fuses as the breaker switches fill their role.

Step 1: Find the tripped breaker switch

Locate the circuit breaker, which is likely to be near your electricity meter. It should contain labelled switches (e.g., "bathroom," "living room"). Look for a breaker switch in the "off" position, indicating a tripped circuit.

Step 2: Identify what has caused the overload

Before resetting the breaker, identify and address the source of the issue, for instance, unplugging unnecessary appliances from the circuit. 

Step 3: Turn the breaker switch back on

Once the overload is rectified, you can attempt to reset the breaker – moving it to the “on” position – which should restore power.

Preventing power outages

While being able to change a fuse is a useful skill to have, prevention is always the better approach. Power outages can be caused by larger problems with the grid, which is unfortunately unavoidable, but many are to do with putting too much pressure on a home’s circuit.

Here are some tips to minimise the risk of blown fuses:

• Don't overburden circuits by plugging too much into one socket extension.
• If you experience blown fuses often, you might have an overloaded system. Ask a qualified electrician about upgrading your fuse box or consumer unit to handle your energy needs.
• Schedule regular electrical inspections. This can identify potential problems before they cause outages or safety issues.

If your home loses all power, or you want to be prepared in case it happens in the future, you might find it useful to read our blog on how to deal with complete electrical failure.