Multimeter
Photo: Jacek Halicki / CC BY-SA 4.0
A multimeter measures voltage, resistance and continuity, which makes it the tool for confirming a circuit is dead and for finding out why something does not work. The videos here use one to test a receptacle, check the controls on a gas furnace and see how a GFCI behaves.
For a homeowner, voltage is the setting to learn first. Choose AC volts, touch the probes to the two points, and read the number. Check the meter on a live outlet before and after you test, so you know it is working. A non-contact voltage tester is the quick check; the meter is the confirmation. See furnace not turning on.
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