Power Outage in Kansas City? What to Do First

Your power just went out. Here's what to check, in order.

Step 1: Figure Out If It's Just You

Look outside first. Neighbors' lights on, yours off? That's likely inside your home: a tripped breaker, a blown fuse, or a panel problem. Whole street dark? That's a utility outage. Nothing to fix on your end.

Quick test: check a porch light or a nearby streetlight. Working lights near you but not at your house means the problem is inside.

Step 2: Check Your Breaker Panel

Your breaker panel is a gray metal box, usually in the garage, basement, or a hallway closet. Open it and look for a breaker sitting in the middle, or pointed the opposite direction from the rest. That's your tripped breaker.

To reset it: push it firmly to OFF first, then back to ON. Don't just nudge it toward ON from the middle position. Turn it fully off first, or it may not reset correctly.

Trips again right away? Stop. Something on that circuit is pulling too much power, and resetting it repeatedly can make things worse.

When Not to Touch the Panel Yourself

Call an electrician instead if you notice any of these:

A burning smell from the panel or an outlet
The panel or a breaker feels warm or hot
Scorch marks, melted plastic, or sparking
The breaker trips again immediately, more than once
Buzzing or crackling from the panel or an outlet

These aren't minor inconveniences. They're fire risks. If you smell burning, stop resetting the breaker and call us right away.

Step 3: If It's a Utility Outage

Whole block dark? That's Evergy's problem, not an electrician's. Report it two ways:

Online/app: Evergy's outage map lets you report an outage and see an estimated restoration time
By phone: 1-888-544-4852 (1-888-LIGHT-KC)

See a downed power line? Stay at least 30 feet back. Don't touch it. Call 911 first, then Evergy at the number above.

Kansas City sees plenty of storm-driven outages, especially spring and summer. Restoration times stretch out during major storms. That's outside anyone's control, ours included, so it's worth knowing going in: an electrician can't do anything about a line-down outage either.

When It's Time to Call Us

Call if:

A reset breaker trips again right away
Part of your house lost power while the rest still has it
You smell burning, see scorching, or hear buzzing from the panel
Lights are flickering or dimming instead of fully out
Evergy confirms it's not a utility outage, but you're still without power

We answer the phone. If it's a genuine emergency, we mean same-day, not "we'll try to fit you in next week." Give you a time window and we'll be there in it. Late, and the visit is free.

One Gut-Check Before You Call Anyone

Most outage mistakes aren't safety mistakes. They're panic calls to the first name someone finds, for a problem that turns out to be Evergy's, not an electrician's. Rule out a utility outage first (Step 3), then call. Saves most people an unnecessary service call.

A-Team Electric is a licensed, master-electrician-led shop serving Kansas City, Gladstone, Liberty, Independence, and Lee's Summit. 24/7 emergency service, upfront pricing, and we show up when we say we will.