Why Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping
Did you know that your circuit breaker is a safety device to protect you and your home from electrical malfunctions? If your circuit breaker repeatedly trips, you need to find out why in order to keep your home safe and prevent power loss to your lights, appliances, and other electronic devices. These are some common reasons why they’d keep tripping:
An Overloaded Circuit
We find this is the most common reason that a circuit breaker continually trips. When many devices are simultaneously being run on the same circuit, there ends up being too much electricity going to that one circuit. In order to prevent a safety hazard, your circuit breaker turns off, or “trips”, that circuit.
You don’t always need a professional’s help to solve this issue — sometimes, it’s as simple as unplugging a few devices from that circuit and moving them onto another. However, if you have a larger electronic plugged into the circuit, such as your refrigerator or oven, and can’t exactly move it, you should call the experts to help figure out a solution.
A Short Circuit
When a hot wire in your outlet comes in contact with another hot wire or a neutral wire, you have a short circuit. Short circuits bring increased current flow that can lead to the circuit overheating. In response, your circuit trips to prevent a fire hazard. You may have a short circuit if your outlet:
-
Smokes
-
Sparks
-
Makes popping sounds
-
Smells like it’s burning
A Ground Fault
A ground fault occurs when a hot wire touches a ground wire. If a ground fault is causing your circuit breaker to trip, you may notice the same signs as a short circuit would display — all of which are cause for concern. Since a ground fault can also pose a risk for fires or electrocution, you’ll want to have this checked by an electrician right away.
When you’re in need of a trusted electrician, remember that the experts at Lancaster are always here for you. Give us a call today!
