Most people likely take for granted the way that we live. One of the things you are used to having but don’t realize how much you rely on is electricity. When the house was being built it was laid out so that the wires and fixtures are able to complete the circuits. The house has a main panel called the circuit box that is where the breakers are set. This is a way for you to keep track of the health of the electrical system and is likely a way to correct some of the issues that might come up. There are times you could have a problem with the system and you might notice that a circuit continues to trip. This is when a circuit has a problem and usually to protect the system it will trip. That means that the circuit has been broken intentionally. If it is happening on a regular basis that means that there is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Peterkin Electric outlines what could be causing your circuit breakers to trip.

Short Circuit

One of the reasons your circuit may end up tripping is from what is called a short circuit. The issue occurs when a hot wire, or a wire that has electricity running through it, touches another wire. The hot wires should be covered and kept separate so that they are not able to come in contact with other wires even neutral ones. The wires can become damaged and if there one in the wall behind a socket it can cause a short circuit. If it happens often you want to make sure that you have your system inspected. The hot wire that is loose or damaged can be a fire hazard and needs to be addressed. The wire has to be found and repairs need to be made. This can be dangerous and should not be overlooked but a professional should be called.

Overloaded Circuit

Another problem that you might have is when you overload a circuit. This is something that happens to a lot of people because you are sure to have things that all need to be plugged in. You might have one area that needs to have more outlets and instead of having them installed by an electrician you overuse the outlet that is there. If you do not know what an overloaded circuit is then you have never seen A Christmas Story and the iconic part where the leg lamp gets plugged in. It simply means that there is not enough watts to cover the amount of items that you have plugged in. It can cause the circuit to trip and you want to remove some of the items and talk to your electrician about installing new outlets.

GFCI Keeps Tripping

If you have outlets that are in areas that might have moisture such as bathrooms and kitchens they will have a GFCI. This is a simple circuit that is attached to that area to keep it safe if water were to get too close. The simple fix is to press the reset button and usually that will do the trick.

Electrical Wiring & Circuit Inspection & More in Laguna Woods, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Lake Forest & Orange County, California

Peterkin Electric can come out and make sure that your circuits are safe and working properly. Call us today for all your electrical needs!