Why Won’t My GFCI Outlet Reset?

Your GFCI outlet may not reset if there’s a ground-fault occurring at another regular outlet or within the downstream of the GFCI, if there’s no power reaching the GFCI, or if you have an open or upstream tripped GFCI. If your GFCI isn’t resetting, it’s important to have it properly examined to see where the issue lies.

Outlet Out of Power

Electricity is needed to power any outlet or device in your home. If power isn’t reaching the electrical box of your GFCI outlet, it won’t function properly or protect you like it’s designed to do.

An Unreliable Reset

Unfortunately, repeatedly pushing your GFCI’s reset button won’t solve this issue. If you’re unsure what’s going on with your reset, there are some explanations for common issues:

The reset button won’t pop out once you’ve pressed the test button: You may have a defective GFCI or the button wasn’t pushed in enough and so the voltage current isn’t reaching the unit.

The reset button won’t stay in when pressed: There may be incorrect wiring or ground-faults downstream of your GFCI.

The reset button is out, but your devices are still working: Your circuit may have a reversed line and load, or your circuit interrupter is defective.

The reset button is in, but none of your devices are working: This may indicate there’s incorrect wiring in your GFCI circuit, that it’s not receiving voltage, or is defective.

The reset button pops out when you turn something on: There may be incorrect wiring or a ground-fault in the downstream of your GFCI.

An unreliable reset isn’t something you’ll want to ignore. If you find the reset button on your GFCI is malfunctioning, contact a pro to investigate your electrical system (our electricians can even virtually diagnose your issue for free!)