Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers exist to protect the electrical
system from power failure.
Circuit breakers are safety measures that
protect the electrical wiring in the home. If
there is too large of a load on a specific circuit,
the breaker trips. Breakers trip for a variety of
reasons but common causes include defective
cords, using too many appliances at once, or
starting large motors.
HOME TIP: The electrical box that houses
the breakers receives electrical power
from a cable known as an electrical service
entrance. Avoid tampering with it.
Care and maintenance
The following are tips for maintaining the
electrical system in your home.
Circuit breakers
Before calling an electrician when an outlet
or light fixture doesn’t work, check the circuit
breaker. An overloaded or short circuit could
have caused the breaker to switch to the
OFF position.
If the circuit breaker is OFF:
1. Correct the cause of the break, if known,
before turning the breaker to the ON
position. Common causes include too many
appliances, lamps, etc., plugged into one
outlet or frayed cords and/or connections.
2. Push the switch all the way OFF and then ON
to reset the breaker.
3. Repeat if any red appears above the
breaker switch.
HOME TIP: Dust on the circuit breakers
may cause them to trip. Blow dust
out of the breaker box with a can of
compressed air.
Frequent tripping
Call an electrical contractor. It’s possible
additional wiring is necessary. In most
instances, plugging small appliances into any
electrical outlet will not overload the circuit.
However, plugging multiple appliances into the
same circuit or large appliances may overload
the circuit and cause the breaker to trip.
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