To most homeowners, electricity is an essential item. However, electricity can also be dangerous and you need to know how to use it properly. Fortunately, with circuit breakers and other modern safety standards, you can easily forget the danger electricity poses. Having circuit breakers in your home or office building ensures you take care of safe electrical systems and basic maintenance procedures. If you need to check your circuit breaker always contact an electrician to have it installed properly. Below are some of the signs that could mean you have a possible faulty circuit breaker.
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1. Breakers tripping frequently
Do you have an issue with tripping breakers in your house? Although this is a good thing as it protects the house in case of any possible electrical fires. The issue could be with your circuit breaker, overloaded circuits, or you have a faulty appliance. Alternatively, it could be the breaker trips, but you cannot get it to stay in position every time you put it back. Therefore, ensure you unplug everything so that you confirm whether the issue is with the appliance or with the circuit. Also, as with anything electrical, have the electrician from st Louis check it. The more you leave it unrepaired will increase the likelihood of fire and even the loss of property.
2. Flickering lights
Have you ever experienced flickering lights when you are in your living area? These can be annoying and a tell-tale sign that your circuit breaker has an issue. More so, if it is a constant problem around the house or office. Either it is the wiring at the switch, a light bulb, or the issue is the circuit breaker. Therefore, it is best to have an electrician check the issue to determine the source of the problem and to fix it.
3. Burning smell
A burning smell from an electrical appliance is a sign that you need to contact a professional electrician immediately. In this way, they can identify the source of the smell and also resolve the issue in the best way. A common course of the burning smell is a faulty circuit breaker. However, you need to have this verified and have the electricians check the wiring before you change your breaker.
4. Reduced performance
Sometimes the issues that you experience with your electrical appliance are because of a bad circuit breaker. For instance, it could be as you use your oven it fails to heat up properly and it instead flickers on and off, or your washing machine turns off mid-cycle. If it is one appliance with the issue it may be the appliance has a problem. But, if it is multiple appliances, the circuit breaker could be the issue.
5. Old age
Since circuit breakers are designed to last for a long in use. Sometimes after a period of like 10 years, they start aging and failing as well. More so, if they have not been serviced for a while just like most electrical components will do, you will end up replacing them. An old circuit breaker will show signs of cracking. If you notice this, it is a sign that you need to replace yours as soon as possible. Thus, consult your electrician if you feel your circuit breaker needs replacement or is old and you need a new one.
6. Regular bulb replacement
Light bulbs are designed to last for thousands or at least hundreds of light hours. If you have to replace yours every week, they may be burning out. The cause for this may be because they are overrated for the fixture. However, it is more likely that your circuit breaker has an issue. In such a case, sort it quickly for faulty circuit breakers increase the risk of a fire. This will damage your home and also lower your property value.
To sum up, a faulty circuit breaker causes an irregular flow of power to sockets. Meaning your sockets will develop scorch marks and your plugs will overheat. So, if your breaker is not shutting off well, wires are melting and shorting, and any of the above signs you have a bad circuit breaker. Contact a professional to have a look at it.
