Why You Keep Resetting Tripped Breakers in Oakdale, CA and Need an Electrician

Resetting tripped breakers in Oakdale, CA is easy enough, but if this is a frequent practice, you need to take a close look at why that’s the case. Your electrician is accustomed to visiting for a job only to learn that tripped breakers are routine in a home or office. If this is how it happens for you, here is why your breakers keep tripping—and what you can do about them:

• Too much activity in one room or area: You know a breaker tripped because the electricity loss is limited to one room or region in your home. Power outages and system failures affect your entire home or building, and when that is the case, you often need additional intervention. If you have frequent power loss, note the area where it happens, because that will be important to determining why this occurs.
• Circuit overload: When a circuit or wire receives more amperage than it is designed to handle, the breaker trips to protect it. This can arise from old or worn out wires or bad connections. If you increased the number or type of appliances in your home, but did not have your system checked, you may experience circuit overloads because you are overdue for an update. When this happens, unplug items on the circuit before setting the breaker. Once it resets, plug in one item at a time to see which one causes the overload. It is likely you need to replace the circuit with a higher amperage.
• Short circuits: A short circuit occurs when an active wire and a neutral wire touch, causing too much current to overflow, which overloads the system. If everything is working well, it will trip the breaker, which protects your home. However, if there are sparks, popping sounds and smoke, you need to call an electrician immediately. You may have a loose wire or damaged connection. If you recently exterminated a rodent infestation, you likely have wires that have been chewed on. Since short circuits can result in house fires, address them immediately.
• Ground faults: A ground fault is like a short circuit in that two wires have come in contact. In this case, it is an active wire that touches a ground wire, which is grounded in the junction box or other grounded area in an appliance. This also causes excessive current, which trips a breaker. Your home should be equipped with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) but sometimes, this equipment wears out. You may require a new GFCI or other electrical components.

Keep in mind that tripped breakers are a safety precaution. If that did not occur, you would likely face electric failure or even a fire. Due to the dangers involved, you should never handle these issues on your own unless you have experience with electrical equipment. While an occasional tripped breaker is often typical in this technological age, proceed with caution if this occurs frequently.

If you require a skilled electrician for resetting tripped breakers in Oakdale, CA, resetting GFIs or handling other electrical repairs, contact Wilkinson Electric Inc. today.

Categorised in: Electrician

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