Circuit Breaker

Residential Service

Circuit Breakers

Why did the circuit breaker stay home from the party? He was afraid he would trip! All jokes aside, circuit breakers that constantly trip are a big problem, and it's important to work with experienced electricians when you need electrical breaker repair in your home. Let’s break down what’s involved in circuit breaker installation and breaker repair.

Your circuit breaker acts as a safety mechanism that’s designed to protect against any one circuit from becoming overloaded. An overloaded circuit can cause the circuit to shut off, and a malfunctioning circuit breaker can increase your risk of fire.

How do you know that you need circuit breaker repair? That’s easy! The Doc can tell you. Here are the services we offer our customers to keep their circuit breakers working smoothly and safely.

Circuit Breaker Services

Circuit Breaker Installation

At Doc Watts Electric, we handle circuit breaker installation for homes and businesses across Central Florida to keep your lights on and your devices running. What’s the process for installing a circuit breaker? We’re glad you asked!

We know that this process may sound simple, but it should always be handled by a knowledgeable electrician.

Electrical Breaker Repair

What causes a circuit breaker to fail? When an electrical circuit allows a current to flow along an unintended or shorter path, it’s called a short circuit. It usually results in too much current traveling through the circuit. The opposite of a short circuit is an open circuit in which there is infinite resistance between two nodes. That’s a bad thing.

Short Circuits

Short circuits can cause fires, electrocution, and electrical burns. If you suspect you have a short circuit issue, contact an electrical breaker repair company (that’s us!) right away.

Circuit Breaker Trips

When a circuit is overloaded, it will trip (so embarrassing!) and you’ll see part or all of your home’s power go out. There are several reasons that your circuit breaker can trip, including:

In the case of a weather-related trip, your circuit breaker is just doing its job and stopping the overload of electricity it received from the lightning or burst of power. In the case of individual circuits tripping, you may be trying to use too many things at once. Two sisters using two hairdryers in the same bathroom at the same time is a recipe for a tripped circuit.

If you have added new appliances to your home, they could be tripping your circuit because newer appliances tend to draw more power. Consider adding more circuits to your home and even having one dedicated to each of your large appliances. We can advise you on upgrading your circuits.

Breaker Repair Cost

A simple repair can be very minimal in cost including parts and labor. Waiting until you have a larger problem can make your breaker repair costs go up, so we recommend having our professional team of electricians evaluate your system right away if you think you have a problem. We’ll provide you with a free quote on any electrical breaker repairs you may need.

Frequently Asked Questions

In most cases, resetting a tripped circuit breaker is simple. When only a portion of your power has gone off, you only need to reset a portion of the circuits. In this case, when you open the door of your breaker box, look for the circuits that say “OFF” and then flip the switches to “ON.”

If the main circuit breaker has tripped, you’ll need to restore power to the entire home. The process is the same as for individual circuits, but you’ll probably need a flashlight so you’re not trying to find the main circuit breaker switch in the dark. Because the power will inevitably go off at night, right?

Circuit breakers can last up to 20 years or more with proper maintenance. Doc Watts Electric can keep your breakers running smoothly for decades and we can replace them when needed. If you notice any of the following, contact us to come take a look.
  • Your breaker trips often. This could be a sign that your breaker is going out, is overloaded, or you have faulty wiring.
  • Your breaker is over 30 years old. It’s better to replace it before it goes out. You can check the manufacturer’s label for the age of your breaker.
  • You can see rust, loose connections, broken housing, or cracked insulation.
Bolt

Call Doc Watts When You Have NO Watts!

At Doc Watts, we can help with minor fixes like wall outlet repair up to whole-house rewiring. If you have questions about your circuit breaker, or any other electrical issues, contact us for a free quote.