DIY guideBreaker panel
Find which breaker runs what, and label the panel
Switch breakers off one at a time, see what goes dark with a lamp, and write a clear label. The small door only.
- 30 min to 1 hr
- 6 steps
- Every step animated

6 steps
Tap a step to watch it again.
Tell everyone the power will go off in places. Save any computer work first.
Never switch off the power to medical equipment someone is using.Plug a lamp or a plug-in tester into the outlet you want to map, and switch it on.
Open the panel's small door, and switch one breaker off.
Only the small door, never the cover. Stand on a dry floor with dry hands.Check the lamp and the room lights. Note what lost power, then switch that breaker back on.
Write the rooms beside that breaker on the panel's label, in plain words. Do the same for each breaker.
If a breaker is hot or buzzing, or trips right back, leave it off and ask Handyman for an electrician.
What you need
- A lamp or a plug-in tester
- A pen and a label sheet
- A helper, if you have one
Call a pro if
- A breaker is hot, buzzing, scorched or won't stay on
- Something stays on with every breaker off
- The panel's cover is loose or missing

Handyman says: Leave it off. I'll find an electrician.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
Rather have
a pro do it?







