If you have noticed that your house is experiencing
some odd electrical issues, there could be a failing circuit breaker at fault.
Unfortunately, electrical problems
are rarely discussed and hard to troubleshoot.
This guide will help you determine whether or
not your circuit breaker is going out, and when it’s time to call in an electrician.
DETERMINIG WHICH BREAKER IS TRIPPING
The first step in discovering the problem is figuring out which breaker is tripped and what appliances are connected to it. In most houses, the circuit breakers are clearly labeled so you can identify which one is flipped. If this has happened repeatedly, you have probably flipped it back on several times and know exactly which one is the problem.
TRY RESETTING IT
If the breaker has been tripped, the little switch will be in the middle, not in the off position. To reset it, you have to do more than just pushing it to on. It won’t work. Instead, you first have to switch it all the way to the OFF position, and then flip it over to ON. If it does not reset, you will need to call one of your residential electricians to identify the problem, which may be a faulty breaker. This can be due to a bad ground fault, or it could be a short circuit causing it to overload continually. An electrician will be able to decode your circuit breaker failure symptoms and tell you if the circuit breaker needs to be replaced.
IF IT RESETS BUT TRIPS AGAIN AFTER A WHILE
In most cases, a breaker will allow you to reset it, and be okay for a while until it unexpectedly trips again. If this happens, you need to think about which appliances were in use when the breaker tripped. When multiple machines are running at once, it can be too heavy of a load on the switch. This is a separate issue and usually doesn’t involve replacing the circuit breaker.
Connect Heating and Air has both residential and commercial electricians serving Sandy, Draper and the Salt Lake City area. If you believe you have a faulty circuit breaker, we encourage you to make the call today. We can help get the power back on in no time and ensure that all of your wiring is safe.
