In your home, there is a circuit breaker box. You’ve probably seen the grey box in your laundry room or somewhere in the basement.
Have you ever been drying your hair in the morning, only to have the power in your bathroom randomly cut off? What about having everything shut off if you try to use the microwave and the toaster at the same time? If anything like that has ever happened to you, that is what’s known as tripping the breaker.
In your home, there is a circuit breaker box. You’ve probably seen the grey box in your laundry room or somewhere in the basement. Each switch -or breaker- in that box is responsible for monitoring the electrical activity on a set number of circuits. If the circuits on a particular breaker get overloaded, the breaker is tripped and shuts off the power.
When a breaker is tripped, it’s a major nuisance but they are actually an important safety feature. Overloaded circuits can cause fires. Here are some of the things that can cause your circuit breaker to trip.
Appliances Requiring Too Much Power
Each breaker is responsible for a set amount of electricity. When something is plugged in that requires more, the breaker will trip. Many large appliances, such as a refrigerator or HVAC unit, need to be on a dedicated circuit so they do not disturb anything else.
Damaged or Worn Out Breakers
Eventually, everything wears out and circuit breakers are no different. If you find that one (or more!) of the breakers in your home are constantly tripping, it may be time for replacements. Especially if you live in an older home, where the breakers are more likely to be worn out. Replacing old breakers is the perfect time to upgrade your electrical panel!
If you suspect your breakers may need to be replaced or upgraded, call TriStar Electric today, we’re happy to help!
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