A dead outlet is rarely just a dead outlet — the fault is usually upstream. Warm or buzzing outlets, GFCI trips, and MWBC shared-neutral faults each follow patterns that point to the actual cause. The guides below cover every common outlet and wiring failure from a licensed electrician's perspective.
Everything about ground-fault and arc-fault protection — how each device works, what triggers them, how to test them, and what a trip is actually telling you. The full reference.
The most commonly missed cause of a dead outlet is an upstream GFCI — in a different room, often in the garage or bathroom — that tripped and cut power to downstream outlets. Check that first before assuming any outlet has failed.