A tripped breaker can occur in any home and is a common challenge that many households face. If handled correctly, you can usually apply a quick and simple fix. However, it’s important to follow all guidelines to ensure safety and keep your household functioning efficiently. This guide will walk you through what it means when a breaker trips, how to reset it and ways to prevent a breaker from tripping in the future.
What Happens When a Breaker Trips?
Although it can be frustrating, breaker tripping is actually a safety mechanism to protect your home. When the breaker trips, it cuts power to prevent overheating. It’s important to know why a breaker trips to help keep it happening in the future. Some of the most common reasons include overloaded circuits, short circuits and ground faults.
How Does This Hurt the Home’s Electrical System?
In extreme cases, frequent breaker trips can lead to wiring damage or increase the risk of electrical fires. This is because when a breaker trips, it disrupts the stream of electricity. This weakens the circuit and puts a lot of strain on your home’s electrical system over time.
Step-by-Step Guide to Resetting a Tripped Breaker
This step-by-step guide will walk you through how to reset a breaker and spot other issues. This is a simple process, but it’s important to handle it with attention to detail to keep yourself safe and prevent future issues.
Identify the Tripped Breaker
The first step is to locate the breaker panel and pinpoint which breaker has tripped. Electric panels can typically be found in the garage, basement or utility room. The breaker will more than likely be out of line with the others, or possibly even have a red or orange gauge to signal that it has tripped.
Turn Off or Unplug Connected Devices
Before resetting the breaker, it’s important to disconnect any devices that are plugged into the circuit. This precaution prevents overloads and surges when you reset the breaker and restore power.
Stand to the Side of the Electric Panel
For your protection, it’s recommended not to stand directly in front of the panel when working with the breakers. Standing to the side can reduce the chance of injury in the case that the panel sparks or puts off heat. If you’re looking to take further safety measures, wearing rubber-soled shoes can greatly decrease the risk of shocks.
Flip the Breaker Fully to the OFF Position
The breaker will typically resemble a light switch that can be flipped up and down or side to side. To fix the tripped breaker, you must first flip the switch so that it reads “OFF”. Most breaker panels will make a clicking sound when you flip them on or off. Hearing the ‘click’ and seeing the word “OFF” are two good indicators that you’ve correctly turned the breaker off.
Wait a Few Seconds
Once the breaker has been turned off, give it a few seconds to completely reset. During this idle time, any residual charge will be eliminated and the circuit should become stable again. Allowing the breaker to rest is key to preparing it to handle the stream of electricity when it’s switched back on.
Flip the Breaker to the ON Position
Once you’ve given the breaker some time to reset, flip the switch so that it reads “ON”. You should hear the same ‘click’ that you did when turning it off. This should restore power immediately. If the breaker trips again after the reset, this could be a sign of damage or a bigger electrical problem within the circuit.
Test Connected Devices
It’s now time to check the devices that were previously plugged in. Plug the devices in one by one, and test them out. This step will expose if one of the devices is responsible for making the breaker trip. If there is one device that is continuously causing the breaker to malfunction, you might need to replace it.
Labeling All Breakers Makes Resetting Easier
Labeling the panel breakers will make it simpler to reset them. There is no right or wrong way to label breakers, but most homeowners find it helpful to label them depending on their circuit controls (e.g., “Bathroom Lights”, “Living Room Outlets”) This saves you from having to unnecessarily reset breakers to find the correct one. It also makes the process quicker.
What to Do When the Reset Doesn’t Fix the Problem?
If the breaker continues to trip after it’s been reset, then there’s more than likely a more serious problem at hand. Whether it’s a wiring fault, damaged appliance or overloaded circuit, it’s best not to repeatedly reset the breaker. Instead, you should contact an expert. An electrician can examine the issue, determine the problem and apply the appropriate fix. Ignoring the trips or attempting to fix them without proper knowledge threatens the overall safety and lifespan of your electrical system.
How Does Regular Electrical Maintenance Prevent Breaker Problems?
Routine maintenance is important to ensure your home’s electrical system is functioning safely and properly. During this maintenance inspection, electricians can check the breaker panel for corrosion and other signs of wear or damage. They will also check to make sure there isn’t any risk of heat buildup or arcing; both of these issues are major fire hazards. Electricians might suggest upgrading the breakers or wiring if you live in an older home that doesn’t have a modern electrical system.
How to Choose the Best Breakers for Your Home
There are a lot of different options to choose from when selecting breakers. It’s important to find the right ones for your home to ensure safety and smooth operation. An electrician can assess your home and help determine what breakers will work best. The most common option is a standard breaker; these protect the home against short circuits and overloads. An example of a more sophisticated alternative is the GFCI breaker. Installing one of these in a wet environment, such as a bathroom or kitchen, can prevent electrical shock. Bedrooms and living areas often have AFCI breakers installed because they help prevent electrical fires caused by arcing faults in wiring. With the help of a professional, you can choose high-quality breakers that match your home’s needs. This will reduce breaker trips and lessen the burden on your electrical system. It also results in a more comfortable and functional living space.
Other Things You Can Do to Prevent Tripped Breakers
One of the best ways to avoid a tripped breaker is to distribute high-powered devices over many outlets. This ensures no single outlet receives too much power and trips. It also helps to make sure all your electronic devices are operating properly. If one of them is broken, it can lead to a short circuit or overload, causing the breaker to trip. If you ever notice damaged or frayed wiring, call an electrician immediately. Changing out your electrical panel could be a good idea if it’s too old or can’t manage your home’s current power needs.
Black Lion Heating & Air Conditioning specializes in HVAC installations, indoor air quality solutions, duct cleaning and many types of electrical services. Call us today to schedule a breaker repair service for your home in Kirkland, WA. We also provide expert insight into EV chargers, whole-home generators, and more!