Even if you do go ahead and try to solve your electric issues by yourself, don’t shut off only your electric panel’s main circuit breaker, which is usually the top switch. Turning that off before all the miniature circuit breakers (the smaller switches that control a specific outlet or part of the home) means the entire load of electricity suddenly has nowhere to go, which could overload the panel—and that’s an expensive fix. Shut off each individual circuit first, then turn off the main breaker.