My Breakers Keep Tripping

I got a call one evening from a friend. Her kitchen and bathroom lost power and she was upset. She had something in the oven and decided to take a quick shower, but when she turned on her hairdryer the power just cut out. I knew exactly what the problem was. A tripped breaker.

What Do Circuit Breakers Do?

A circuit breaker is a safety device. If there is a short circuit the breaker will trip to prevent damage. It also trips if there is too much of a load on that circuit. For example, if you’re heating up lunch in the microwave and decide to use your treadmill which happens to be plugged into the same outlet, the breaker will trip so it doesn’t cause damage to your home.

If A Breaker Frequently Trips

If you have a breaker that trips with any kind of frequency there is definitely a problem.

1. One problem could be too many high-wattage appliances or devices on the same circuit. You should check to see what is plugged into the outlets of that room (or rooms) if you have more than a couple of things running (or leeching) power unplug them and see if that fixes the problem. It would also be a good idea to have an inspection done by a licensed electrician to ensure that the problem is truly fixed.
   
2. There might be a problem with the wiring to that circuit. Often enough there are shorts in circuit wiring that need to be fixed. It could be a poor installation, a faulty outlet, or some recently exposed wiring. Either way, you’ll want a trustworthy electrician to inspect the circuit and make sure your home wiring is safe.
   
3. You might just have a faulty breaker. You must replace breakers when they get worn out. When it starts to go bad it might trip often. You should call an electrician to change out that breaker and insure the safety of your breaker panel, he may suggest an upgrade.

Breakers are there for your safety if you have a breaker that trips don’t ignore it, it might just be a sign of something serious. If you have a breaker that needs to be looked at consider calling your friendly neighborhood electricians at Passion Electric.