How to Reset a Circuit Breaker

Every homeowner should know how to reset the circuit breaker (also called an electrical panel) in times of a power outage or your circuit breaker trips. The circuit breaker takes the electricity from your utility company and powers all of your outlets. It’s sometimes found in the garage, inside a closet, or in the basement. Inside the box are circuit breakers that control electricity flow. They will trip when electricity is overloaded, which acts as a safety switch to prevent wires from melting or starting a fire. 

Step 1: Inspect outlets and cords

Before you go looking inside your circuit breaker, first ensure that the outlets and cords of the item in question are in working order. Check for any singed outlet panels, damaged electrical cords or overheated appliances. You may need to replace the appliance all together.

Step 2: Find the tripped breaker 

Be sure the circuit breaker box, surrounding area, and floor below are completely dry before proceeding. If there is moisture anywhere, call a professional electrician immediately. If the area is safe and dry, open the door to the circuit breaker. You are likely to find a list of circuits on the inside of the door panel or each one labeled individually. This will tell you which breaker powers which item/room. Tripped breakers are easy to find. Carefully look at each breaker until you find one that is stuck in a neutral position, halfway between ‘on’ and ‘off.’ 

Step 3: Reset the breaker

Flip the switches that are stuck in neutral to the ‘on’ position. Wait a few seconds to see if the breaker stays in the ‘on’ position. If so, the breaker is reset and power should be working. If the problem was that you had too many appliances powered by a single outlet, flipping the breaker should solve the issue and return electricity to that outlet. 

Step 4: Call a professional electrician

If a breaker trips for no reason, this may be caused by a larger underlying problem and will need to be assessed by a licensed professional electrician. You may need an upgraded panel if the lights in your home flicker or dim often, you’ve moved into an older home, you’ve purchased a new large appliance, or if resetting the panel doesn’t fix the issue.

ProTech Electrical Services are experts in electrical panel installation and repair. Give us a call today at 267-984-0888 to learn how we can help get your circuit breaker back up and working in no time.