The circuit breakers in your electrical panel protect your home and appliances. They automatically shut the power supply off when they detect a fault or short circuit, which prevents overloads and house fires. When a circuit breaker trips frequently, the cause is usually a circuit overload, a short circuit or a ground fault. Let’s take a look at these problems and the steps you can take to solve them.

Circuit Overloads

An electric circuit overloads when too many appliances and devices draw power from a circuit at the same time. Circuit overloads are the most common cause of circuit breaker issues. If a circuit breaker trips after you plug in an appliance or device. Unplug the appliance or device and then flip the tripped circuit breaker back on. Once you have done this, plug the appliance or device into another circuit. If it works properly, you will know that it caused an overload.

Short Circuits

Short circuits occur when live wires come into contact with neutral wires. The resulting surge of power is often strong enough to make a circuit breaker trip. Short circuits can be caused by faulty wiring in an appliance or device, or worn, loose or corroded wires in an electrical panel. If an appliance or device causes one of your circuit breakers to trip, no matter where in your home you plug it in, you will know that its wiring is faulty. If your electrical panel is the source of the problem, you should contact an experienced electrician.

Ground Faults

Ground faults can be caused by active wires touching ground wires. There are multiple potential causes for a ground fault. Ground faults cause electrical surges that can overload circuit breakers and make them trip. Ground faults are not as dangerous as they used to be because ground fault circuit interrupters greatly reduce the risk of electrocution, but they are serious problems that should be addressed without delay.

Electrical Panel Service

Circuit breakers that trip frequently and burning smells coming from a breaker box are signs that an electrical panel should be serviced or replaced. Servicing or upgrading your electrical panel could prevent annoying circuit breaker problems and protect your home. Experienced electricians can find the cause of short circuits or ground faults, tighten loose wires, replace faulty circuit breakers and ensure that the electrical load in your home is distributed evenly.

Call Paxton Electric for Peace of Mind

Problems with your electrical panel are both inconvenient and unsafe. Fortunately, there’s a team of electricians who can help restore and protect your home. If you need electrical panel repair or replacement in Hesperia, CA, call JD Ensz Electric.