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Most of the time, when you have to deal with your home’s circuit breaker you’re frustrated. The lights suddenly go out, all the appliances shut down, and you find yourself trudging to the basement in the dark. It’s annoying, to say the least. However, your circuit breaker is an important part of keeping your home’s electrical system as safe as possible.
The circuit breaker is designed to automatically cut off the electrical current running through part of your home in case it becomes overloaded. Once whatever is causing the overload is resolved, resetting the circuit breaker allows you to get back to your routine quickly. You need to know how to properly reset things, though, or you may end up making the problem worse.
Unplug Everything
The majority of the time, when a circuit breaker trips it’s because there are simply too many appliances placing demands on that particular circuit. So, before you actually go to reset the circuit breaker, you should unplug everything that’s on that circuit. If the reason the breaker tripped is simple overload, doing this will prevent it from immediately tripping again as soon as you reset it. Then, you can slowly add appliances back onto the circuit to make sure it doesn’t overload.
Open Your Circuit Breaker and Reset the Circuit
Locate your circuit breaker and open it. Look for a switch that has moved from the on position to the off position. It’s also possible for the switch to get stuck between the positions. If that’s the case, move the switch fully into the off position. Then, move it fully over to the on position. This should immediately restore power to the circuit.
Monitor the Circuit
As we mentioned above, once power is restored to the circuit you should slowly add appliances until everything is back to normal. If the circuit continues to trip, especially if it’s happening without that many appliances putting a load on it, it could very well mean that you have a more significant issue with your electrical system that needs to be addressed. You might also have an issue with the circuit breaker itself, which can be significantly worse. Circuit breaker issues are especially dangerous because the system is a safety device. Most issues with the electrical system can at least be prevented from causing serious harm by the circuit breaker. If the circuit breaker malfunctions, though, there will be very little to protect your home’s electrical system.
If you suspect that your circuit breaker keeps tripping because of a deeper issue than simple power surges or overloads, you need to have a professional examine the system as soon as possible. You don’t want to risk electrocution or house fire, after all.
Anderson Electric Corp. provides comprehensive electrical repair services throughout West Orange , NJ. If you need electrical services of any kind, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts. We’ll make sure that your electrical system stays in good condition.
