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What to do if electricity keeps tripping? If your home’s electricity keeps tripping, you are not alone! It can be very frustrating to deal with a power outage. It can cost you more money in the long run, and it might make your house feel like a big sauna. What’s causing all the power shenanigans?
What to do if your electricity keeps tripping?
Turn off Your Electricity
The most important aspect when dealing with any electrical trip issue is to turn off the electricity. That means turning off any breakers at your circuit breaker panel (or fuse box) that could be involved in the problem. Turning off these breakers will isolate them from being able to cause damage if they are tripped again.
Also, if you have a dozen light bulbs in your house, for example, there is a fair chance your surge problems will be traced back to the fuse box. Before dealing with the surge issue, you should account for all the appliances that could cause it.
If you have any devices that are plugged in, unplug them. If you have any outlets near the point of tripping, unplug all other devices plugged into them. Unplugging them also gives you more workspace to work with – and just in case of a power surge when you turn the power back on, you don’t want to risk getting zapped by touching anything.
Check Your Circuit Breakers
There are three main reasons houses have their electricity cut off: a blown fuse, a circuit breaker trip, and an overloaded circuit. In most cases, when you experience power issues in your home, it is because of a blown fuse or circuit breaker trip.
An overload happens when something too big is plugged into a power source that is not big enough to handle the amount of power being used. That can happen if you use multiple appliances that require lots of power at once – like several large lights or stereo equipment with many speakers. It is also common to overload if you have a lot of lit candles or space heaters.
Check Your Fuses
If the fuse you use is still intact, check your circuit breaker first. If the fuse was flickering or blowing cold, it is probably a circuit breaker that has tripped – meaning that too many appliances are connected to one outlet or something too big plugged into one of your circuits. When these things happen, too much electricity is used in one area, and the circuit breaker trips out to prevent an overload.
Check for loose or worn wiring.
It is possible that none of the steps above can help you fix your power surges. When you live in an older house and haven’t effectively insulated your walls or attic (or replaced your old wiring system), the surges might not even be due to faulty appliances or devices in the first place.
In that case, then it is likely that these surges are coming from a problem outside your house, such as an aging or broken power pole or a power line sitting on top of a tree branch. Therefore, you will need to call your local power company and have them fix the problem.
Sometimes, electric wires can get chewed up by pets, children, or rodents, and this can cause an electrical short. That might trip the breaker more efficiently too. Check for any chewed wires or loose plug-ins to see if this is the case with your home’s electricity. If the problem persists, get a power company to fix this for you.
Check for water damage.
Sometimes, your home could have cracks in the walls letting in water. This water is then blown into an outlet causing your electricity to be shorted out. Fixing this will require repairing the damage and contacting a professional to help you out.
Know Your Breaker
Upon moving into your house or purchasing it, you should have been given a manual with information about how many amps and voltages your circuit can handle. That is essential because it will determine how many circuits you can run on a two-pole breaker with 15 or 20 amps.
This will also allow you to know how many outlets and lights you can run on each breaker. Before you hurry to buy a bunch of new outlets, look up your breaker and the amount of capacity for each circuit.
Resolve Your Problem
After determining the problem with your current circuit breakers and outlets, it is time to fix them. If all of the problems on the list above have been addressed, it will be easier to troubleshoot other issues with your home’s electrical system.
If you are still experiencing home outages, it is time for you to call for professional assistance. There are many companies in your area that offer electrical service and repairs. You can choose one highly rated in customer service reviews and have them do maintenance on your system or more extensive repairs if needed.
Follow Up
Taking care of an electrical problem is essential because if you do not address it right away, you could quickly find yourself in trouble again – and at this point, it is already a lot worse than being stuck without electricity. If your electrical problem is severe and you need an immediate fix, then you should call a licensed electrician to come out immediately.
What To Do If Electricity Keeps Tripping? – Conclusion
When a faulty circuit causes an electricity trip, they will be able to identify the problem and provide possible recommendations on how to fix it. That may require them to replace faulty or damaged wiring, or it could mean that you have to replace a whole circuit breaker box that is too old.
Some faulty electrical systems can be repaired – but if not, then it is time for a complete overhaul, at which point you should consult with an electrician about the best time for the job. Tripping circuits can be dangerous and inconvenient, but you can do a few simple things to remedy the problem—before it becomes severe and costly.