Trippy Circuit Breaker? Here’s What to do.

Oct 19, 2021 | Panel Upgrade, Residential Electric

What do you do when you lose power? You check the circuit breaker! This is a common problem for homeowners, leaving them quite literally in the dark. But not to worry, we’re here to shine a light on what to do when your circuit breaker trips!

Breakers trip when a surge of energy overloads a circuit. Maybe it’s high winds, lightning strikes, or simply overloading the grid with modern appliances. To keep your home safe, the breaker’s safeguard is to switch off. Turning things back on is a simple process.

1. Turn off all lights and appliances affected by the power outage. Make sure everything is switched to the OFF position. If the TV or Lamp doesn’t have an ON/OFF switch, unplug it. You don’t want your appliances to receive the surge of energy when you turn the breaker back on as it can cause damage.
2. Locate your circuit breaker box. Usually in the garage, closet, basement, outside the house, or behind that odd gray door on that wall. Look for the breaker or breakers that are in the OFF position. They may also be red or orange.
3. Flip the OFF breakers to the ON position. Then plug in and turn on your lights and appliances.

If these steps don’t work, or you have frequent breaker trips, it’s time to give us a call. Your home might need a panel upgrade or a rewire, and we don’t want to risk an electrical fire.