It can be frustrating when you’re trying to reset your circuit breaker, and nothing seems to be working! If you have gone through all of the steps that you know and still it is tripping, it’s time to see if there is anything you missed.
5 DIY Tips to Try If Your Circuit Breaker Won’t Reset
Ultimately, your electrical system is not something that the standard homeowner should attempt to fix on their own. However, these simple tips can help you ensure that the problem isn’t a quick fix before calling in a professional electrician.
1. Check For Signs Of An Overloaded Circuit
If you have an overloaded circuit, the likelihood is that it goes something like this. The circuit breaker trips; it won’t reset straight away, then it does reset after a cool-down period, and then trips again after a few minutes. Usually, this means that too many things are plugged into outlets that use the same circuit. Or there is something faulty that is plugged in. Try unplugging a few things, or moving the appliance you are currently using to a new outlet to see if that’s the issue.
2. Make Sure You’re Flipping the Correct Switch
Truly, you have no idea how many people are flipping the wrong switch! Double-check that your circuit breaker is labeled correctly and that you are resetting the breaker properly. Make sure that you push the breaker firmly and fully into the “off” position and then put it back into the “on” position.
3. Is It A Faulty Breaker?
It’s a lot less likely, but still possible that the breaker itself is faulty. If this is indeed the problem, then, unfortunately, there is nothing that you will be able to do on your own. Instead, call in a licensed electrician to help sort this problem out.
4. Check For A Short Circuit
Additionally, your problem could be a short circuit. If your circuit breaker won’t reset and trips immediately, this issue is likely. A short circuit typically occurs when a hot wire carrying a current touches a neutral wire. This means that your circuit breaker is working properly, as it is a safety mechanism to ensure that things don’t go wrong, as short circuits can be a fire hazard. If you think that the problem is a short circuit, do not touch it.
Leave it alone, turn the breaker off and then call an electrician to assist you.
5. Call A Professional For Help
If you can’t get your circuit breaker to reset, the final thing that you should do is call in professional help. Once it gets to a point where nothing you do is working, it’s pretty fair to say that whatever it is isn’t doing its job properly anymore. Our service professionals at Dixie Electric, Plumbing & Air are always ready and waiting to sort out any problems that you might have.
Call Dixie, and it’s done!
If you would like to get in touch with us, call 334-232-0236 for Montgomery and 334-835-5161 for Auburn-Opelika.
