The Importance of Residential Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers have an important job in the day to day functioning of your home’s electrical system. These breakers are attached or connected to an electrical circuit. They are designed to prevent any further power flow continuing through the circuit in case there is an arc, short or a power surge. Circuit breakers can fail or go bad, and in such cases, they require immediate attention. Because if a circuit breaker is no longer functioning, it cannot provide your appliances and electrical system the protection they need.
Where are Circuit Breakers?
Circuit breakers are located in the circuit breaker box. Some homes have a single main breaker box while other homes may have one main breaker box plus several small breaker boxes. It is important to know where your home’s circuit breakers are located so you can check them in the event of an emergency, or if a breaker gets tripped and needs to be reset.
Finding a Bad Breaker
If a circuit breaker gets tripped, you need to reset it. A tripped breaker appears to be halfway between the on and off position. A circuit breaker may not need to be replaced, it may just need to be reset. Turn off all the lights and electrical appliances operating on that particular circuit. Flip the breaker back to the “on” position.
Some circuit breakers have to be turned completely off before they are turned back on. Test the circuit breaker after it has been reset by turning the breaker back on and then adding all of the devices or appliances back one at a time. If every item operates again, a voltage tester is not necessary.
If you reset the circuit breaker and the devices do not work, the circuit breaker may need to be replaced. If you experience such problems, call Schumann Electric for fast and affordable 24-hour emergency service in Chester County, PA.
