Why Does My Breaker Keep Tripping? (And Why It’s Common in January)

There may be times when a circuit breaker trips in your North Carolina home. An occasional instance of this may not cause too much alarm. However, when your breaker keeps tripping, this provides you with notice that something more serious needs to be addressed. When you ask the question why does my breaker keep tripping, there could be one or more issues that an electrical safety inspection will reveal. When you’re facing these winter electrical problems, or issues during the other seasons as well, it’s time to call the Charlotte, NC, or Fayetteville, NC, electric professionals for help. Here are some reasons why your breaker might continually trip, why it’s common in January, and what to do to remedy the issue.

Reasons Why a Breaker Keeps Tripping

There is more than one reason why your electrical circuit breaker might trip. It could be due to a single issue, such as an appliance that draws too much power, or it might be a house-wide problem. In general, here are some often-cited reasons why circuit breakers trip:

• Ground fault: This occurs when a hot wire touches a metal casing or a ground wire. This usually occurs in areas that are wet.
• Circuit overload: Sometimes the breaker in your home will trip due to too many devices being used on one circuit, which can cause a circuit overload.
• Faulty appliance: Maybe your refrigerator or heater isn’t working correctly, draws too much power, and causes the breaker to trip.
• Short circuit: An electrical surge can occur due to touching the ground or neutral wire, known as a short circuit. This can sometimes result from damaged cords and wires.
• Old/bad breaker or wiring: Your breaker may trip due to an old or bad breaker or wiring in your home. 

Why Is This a Common Electrical Problem in January?

Although your breaker can trip during any time of the year, you may notice an enhanced occurrence of this electrical issue in January. There are quite a few reasons why winter electrical problems may occur and here are some reasons why you might find an occasional breaker trip issue in the month of January:

• Increased electrical load during the winter: During the winter season, you may have more electrical devices in use, such as heaters and appliances, that can put a strain on your electrical system.

• High wattage item usage: You might also find that you use more high wattage items during the wintertime and this can cause your breaker to trip.

• Stress on older breakers: Continual and increased use of electrical items can put a stress on older breakers, causing the system to trip.

• Faulty appliances: With more appliance use during the winter, you might find that faulty appliances draw too much power and cause a breaker trip.

• Faulty wiring: Faulty wiring can cause your breaker to trip as well. 

How to Remedy the Issue

If you notice that your breaker keeps tripping, it’s time to schedule an electrical safety inspection. You want an electrical system that works correctly and safely. To ensure your electrical system is working right, contact a professional electrician to come out to your home, evaluate your electrical system, and recommend circuit breaker repairs or replacements. 

NuBlue Offers Electrical Service for Your North Carolina Home

When you have frequent electrical breaker trips in your North Carolina home, contact NuBlue for an appointment. The NuBlue team will come out to your Lake Norman, North Carolina, home or Greenville, NC, residence and evaluate your electrical system to see why the breaker keeps tripping. If repairs or replacements are needed, you can trust the NuBlue professionals to handle this service for you!

Don’t continue to deal with frustrating electrical breaker issues. Contact NuBlue today to schedule an appointment!