Know When it’s Time for Circuit Breaker Replacement
While it may fail to cross your mind, replacing your circuit breaker is essential to a smooth running home. By routinely replacing your circuit breaker, you can avoid damaging your appliances and minimize your chances of having an extended power outage.
Additionally, since they are often located in less visible areas, you may not realize when an issue with a panel has formed, which could mean a disaster for your home!
Not replacing your circuit breaker can cause flickering lights, poor performance, and more. Here are the key elements you should look out for to know when to replace your circuit breaker:
Burning Smell
If you’ve begun to notice a burning smell coming from your panel or your home in general, it most likely means that you have overheated insulation and wiring. This is an issue that requires you to replace your circuit breaker immediately, as it means your insulation is failing to protect your home from shortages.
In the case of a burning smell, you should turn off your main power immediately and get your circuit breaker replaced
Physical Damage
One of the most dangerous occurrences with circuit breakers is a degraded or melted wire. A melted wire, which can be recognized through scorch marks around the breaker, is a potential fire hazard. Since breakers are responsible for electricity in the entire house, a melted wire can potentially put your whole home in flames.
In this case, it’s essential that you get your circuit breaker replaced.
Old Age
Sometimes it’s not a burning smell or a melted wire which is putting your house at risk – often times it’s simply that your circuit breaker has been installed for too long and is at an increased likelihood of failure. Your circuit breaker should be inspected around every ten years, as this is when they are likely to begin to fail or falter in quality.
Regular Breaker Tripping
Breaker trips are intended to save your home from too much power being drawn in. However, many people have encountered that a simple appliance such as a microwave or a vacuum has been the piece that tips your breaker over the edge to trip.
If you find that a breaker trips every time you use a specific plug or appliance, your circuit breaker is at a much higher risk of failure and should be replaced to protect your home.
Conclusion
Circuit breakers are often tucked away under the stairs or in a low visibility location, which leads lots of people to forget that they lie at the heart of electricity in your home. Since running safe electricity is essential for home life, it’s always vital to get your circuit breaker checked or replaced if you encounter any issues.
If you’ve noticed a burning smell, physical damage, old age, or regular breaker tripping occurring within your circuit breaker, then it may just be time to swap it in for a new one or at least have it checked!
