Why Your Breaker Keeps Tripping: 4 Potential Causes & Solutions
It’s one of the most frustrating things that happens during your morning rush. Not traffic on 275 or spilling your coffee on the way out the door. Instead, it’s that moment when you trip a breaker.
The microwave is running, and your kid starts the toaster, java is percolating, and then, nothing.
Home electrical systems, for most of us, are a modern convenience. But having that interrupted by a toaster pastry is simply un-American.
All joking aside, there are serious dangers associated with overloading circuits in your house. In fact, that’s why they trip and shut off the flow of electricity.
Let’s look at the causes of tripped breakers and how you can prevent it from happening in the first place.
What are some common causes of tripping breakers?
Heading right to the breaker box and flipping the “off” back to “on” is a normal reaction. And when a breaker trips, there’s usually at least one reason you can point to.
A few of the reasons are easy fixes, and a few are downright dangerous. Whatever the cause, a licensed electrician can help pinpoint the issue and repair it.
Circuit overload from faulty appliances
In our earlier scenario, circuit overload was the culprit. Your home is wired in specific zones governed by the breaker panel. Each appliance you plug in pulls a certain amount of electricity through a particular circuit.
When the breaker trips, it’s because you’re pulling more power than the circuit can handle. Depending on the wiring in your home, you may need to move appliances around to stop it from happening.
Short circuit or bad wiring
This is more dangerous than simply overloading a circuit. These issues could start an electrical fire. If your breaker trips immediately every time you reset it, this might be your problem.
Trace back to when the problem started and see if you’re using any new appliances. It could even be your AC unit or heat pump causing the overload!
You should also check for any structural changes that cause broken wiring. You’ll likely need to call a professional if it's not easily identifiable.
Unintended ground fault in your wiring
A ground fault is one of the most dangerous reasons for breaker tripping. If you’ve ever been shocked by the shower, you know what we mean. A ground fault is when a wire carrying electrical current comes in contact with a grounding wire or the frame of an appliance. Especially in areas where water may be present, this could be deadly.
GFCI outlets (ground-fault circuit interrupters) are usually required by code in bathrooms and kitchens. Like short circuits, a GFCI breaker will flip back to a tripped position immediately after a reset if a ground fault is detected. If you have GFCI outlets, the outlet will trip and may have an indicator light to signify such.
Lack of surge protection during storms and lightning strikes
Lightning is simply a natural occurrence of electricity. A power surge floods the system when it hits a building or blows a transformer. Your electronics could fry unless you’ve got surge protectors, essentially tiny energy sponges. And if unprotected, you could be looking at replacing everything from your toaster oven to your air conditioner.
How to fix your tripping breaker
Anytime you trip a breaker, it’s crucial to find the source of the problem. There are a few steps you should follow to find the source of the problem. And if you can’t, please give us a call!
Unplug all your appliances connected to the tripping breaker
When the power goes out, the first thing to do is unplug the devices in that zone. To do that, you should have at least a basic idea of the circuit layout in your home. Most of the time, you can find a basic layout in the electrical panel itself. We call this the "panel schedule"
Overload is the most common problem associated with breakers tripping, so this should be where you start. If you flip the switch back on and it stays, you’re likely looking at overload. But if it switches back off, you’ve got a bigger problem.
Check for a short in a specific appliance
Once you restore the power, plug each device back in and test them to make sure they work. Sometimes there are apparent signs of a short. A burning smell, visible burns, melted wires, or flickering signal a short.
Small appliance repair technicians should be able to fix most shorts. We don’t recommend tackling this fix on your own. You could make the problem worse!
For all short circuits and ground faults, call an electrician
Once you’re sure the problem lies in a short or ground fault, step away. You shouldn’t try to fix these issues on your own. Calling an electrical repair professional is the best way to ensure your and your home's safety. Left unrepaired, these issues may cause an electrical fire that could be devastating.
Young Cardinal Electric provides the best customer service in Tampa!
If you’re ready to pick up the phone and bring in the professionals, call Young Cardinal Electric. With over 16 years of service in the field, we’re dedicated to getting it right. As an employee-owned, family business, our desire to see you safe and happy is our number one priority.
But don’t wait for a crisis to reach out! We’re licensed and certified to tackle any electrical project you can dream of. Once the job is done, we’ll check back in to ensure it’s more than satisfactory.
They don’t call us the most reliable electricians in Tampa for nothing!