What to Do When Your Circuit Breaker Trips

A circuit breaker trip can happen due to a variety of factors such as a big storm or a huge surge of energy overloading the circuit. If you’re not sure how to get your power back, you’re in the right place. We’ll guide you through finding your circuit breaker and help you get your power back on in no time.

Before resetting your circuit breaker, keep a few things in mind. Don’t touch any exposed wires or try to take the breaker panel apart. Also make sure the area around the circuit breaker isn’t damp or wet; wait until the area is dry first or call a professional.

1. Turn off all affected appliances and lights. Before dealing with the circuit breaker make sure everything affected is turned off. If there’s an appliance without an off switch, unplug the appliance before continuing. You want to do this so you don’t blow a fuse on any of your appliances.
2. Locate your circuit breaker box. It is usually encased in a gray metal box in a utility area such as a basement, laundry, or utility closet. It can also sometimes be found in a finished room or a wall cabinet. If you can’t find it in any of these areas, try looking for a fuse box instead. Fuse boxes are similar to breakers, but they have a different process to restore the circuit if a fuse blows. Once you find the breaker box, open the door and look for rows of switches.
3. See if there are any breakers that are turned off. You can tell this if the breaker is displaying a red or orange color or if the levers are in the opposite position than the other levers in the on position.
4. Flip the breakers back on. After locating the circuit breaker switch that’s turned off, put it back into the on position. There should be a slight resistance when flipping the lever and a clicking sound signaling that it’s been turned back on. This should restore your power—if it doesn’t you may need to repeat this one more time.
5. Turn the affected lights and appliances back on. After you’ve switched the breaker back on, turn your appliances back on and plug in any unplugged devices. Once all of the outlets are working and your power is fully restored, you’re done!

If your circuit breaker keeps tripping, the best thing to do is to call a professional. There may be a more complex underlying problem such as a short circuit, an overloaded circuit, or a ground fault. The professionals at Laswell Electric Company are expert electricians who you can rely on when it comes to electrical problems. Let us know exactly what is happening and we will be sure to get the problem fixed quickly and efficiently. Contact Laswell Electric Company today for all of your electric needs.