You come home to find your house dark and the electricity is off. There was no storm in the area, and you know you paid the electric bill, so what could have caused the apparent power outage? There could be multiple reasons for you to temporarily lose power, but there are steps you can take to solve the problem.

The first thing you should do is to step outside and look down the street. If all of the lights appear to be off on one or both sides of the street, including the street lights, you are probably experiencing a power outage. Call your power company to report the outage. If the power problem has already been reported, you might be able to get information about what happened and when you can expect the power to come back on.

Many electric companies also have websites with up-to-date information. Check using a smart phone or another Internet device that isn’t reliant on your home’s power.

If the power issue appears to be isolated to your home, check all of the fuses and circuit breaker. You may have blown a fuse or tripped a breaker, in which case you can replace the fuse or flip the breaker to restore power.

If you are still unable to determine the cause of the outage, call a Los Angeles electrician. An electrician will check your circuits, wires and fuses thoroughly to determine the source of the problem. If the electrician determines that the cause of the outage was a power surge or another act of nature, your homeowner's insurance may reimburse you for the cost of having the technician come out to your house. In that case, make sure to ask for written copies of all reports, receipts and documents you might need to turn in as part of your claim.

The most important thing to do if you lose power is to stay calm and not panic. If you are unskilled with electrical issues, do not attempt to investigate or fix any wiring problems yourself. You could be putting yourself at risk.