Short answer
A dead GFCI usually just needs its RESET button pressed. If it will not reset or keeps tripping, unplug downstream devices — then call an electrician.
What a GFCI does and where you find them
A ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet watches for current leaking to ground — the kind of leak that happens when electricity finds a path through water or a person — and shuts off in a fraction of a second. That is why electrical code requires them in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoors, and anywhere near water.
You can spot them by the TEST and RESET buttons on the outlet face. One GFCI outlet often protects every outlet downstream of it on the same circuit, which is why a dead bathroom outlet is sometimes fixed by resetting the GFCI in the garage.
The reset: what you can safely do
If a GFCI outlet has no power, press the RESET button firmly until it clicks and stays in. If it was tripped, power returns — this resolves most 'dead outlet' calls in kitchens and bathrooms. Press TEST afterward to confirm it trips, then RESET again to restore power; a GFCI that will not trip on TEST is not protecting you and should be replaced.
If the RESET button will not stay in, or it trips again immediately, something downstream is causing a ground fault — unplug everything on that circuit (including outdoor outlets and anything in damp areas) and try resetting once more.
- Press RESET firmly until it clicks and stays in.
- Press TEST to confirm it trips, then RESET to restore power.
- If it will not reset, unplug everything downstream and try once more.
- Check other GFCI outlets — one device often protects several outlets.
- Never bypass or remove a GFCI to 'fix' nuisance tripping.
Why a GFCI keeps tripping
Repeated tripping means the GFCI is detecting a real ground fault — it is doing its job. Common causes: moisture in an outdoor or bathroom outlet box, a damaged appliance cord leaking current, or water intrusion into an exterior receptacle after rain. Unplug suspects one at a time to isolate the culprit.
Older GFCI outlets can also fail internally and trip without a real fault. GFCI devices wear out over their lifespan — if the outlet is many years old, trips constantly with nothing plugged in, or will not pass its TEST, replacement is the likely answer.
What an electrician checks
An electrician verifies whether the fault is in the GFCI device itself or downstream wiring — using test instruments to check for ground faults, moisture-damaged wiring, and improper connections (including reversed line/load wiring from a past DIY replacement, which leaves downstream outlets unprotected).
They can also bring older areas of the home up to current protection standards: adding GFCI protection where code now requires it, replacing worn devices, and installing weather-resistant GFCI outlets with proper in-use covers outdoors.
Safety notes worth respecting
Never replace a GFCI with a standard outlet to stop the tripping — the tripping is the protection working. Do not open the outlet to investigate wiring yourself; even with the breaker off, mistakes in GFCI wiring are easy and leave you unprotected. And if an outdoor GFCI trips after rain and the box looks damaged or full of water, leave it alone and call a licensed electrician.