Different Types of Circuit Breakers: Everything You Should Know
As one of the most important safety devices in your home, it pays to be knowledgeable about how your circuit breaker works. It’s also a good idea to know about the different types of circuit breakers you could install.
Your home’s circuit breaker is an essential component of the safety of you, your family, and your property. Sure, circuit breakers aren’t necessarily an exciting topic, but understanding them pays off. Installing the right type of circuit breaker not only supports your home’s electrical needs, but also prevents dangerous hazards such as electrical fires from occurring.
In most homes, an electrical box contains the main breaker for the entirety of the home. Additionally, you’ll find rows of branch circuit breakers which are each connected to individual circuits.
Today, we’ll be exploring the topic of circuit breakers. We’ll explain how circuit breakers function and the different types of circuit breakers. We’ll also discuss how to know if your circuit breaker needs to be changed. Let’s get started!
How Does a Circuit Breaker Work?
In the event of a short circuit or overload in your home’s electrical system, a circuit breaker is responsible for disrupting the flow of a current automatically. When this happens, your circuit breaker prevents damage to the electrical circuit itself, as well as your home, appliances, and electronics. An electrical overload can generate a significant amount of heat, sometimes triggering sparks, electrocutions, burns, and even fires.
Sometimes a circuit breaker trip may mean that electrical repairs are required. We’ve written an article about some of the most common reasons for a tripping circuit breaker, but here are a few as a refresher:
- Hot and neutral wires have fused together
- There is too much of a current flowing through the breaker
- A power line in your home has ruptured
- A ground fault has occurred
- Your appliances are demanding too much energy
Why Are Circuit Breakers Important?
There are various dangers and inconveniences that you face when you don’t have a properly functioning circuit breaker installed in your home. A few examples include electrical fires, damaged outlets, and frustratingly frequent power outages.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), an estimated 51,000 fires are caused by electrical issues each year. The result is an estimated 500 deaths, 1,400 injuries, and $1.3 billion in property damages. Of these structural fires, electrical distribution systems account for 1/3 of the total. With a reliable circuit breaker, you can eliminate these risks in your home.
Different Types of Circuit Breakers You Should Know About
There are 3 basic types of circuit breakers that you should know about. These include standard breakers (including both single-pole and double-pole circuit breakers), ground fault circuit interrupter circuit breakers (GFCIs), and arc fault circuit interrupter circuit breakers (AFCIs).
In this section, we’ll give you a basic description of each of the circuit breaker types, including how they work. As a word of caution, it’s important to remember that installing or replacing a circuit breaker is a job for a licensed electrician. In many cases, a permit is required for this type of electrical work. A knowledgeable electrician can help you make the best determination for the right type of circuit breaker for your home.
1. Standard Breakers (Single-Pole and Double-Pole Circuit Breakers)
Standard circuit breakers are among the most common types found in homes. They include single-pole circuit breakers and double-pole circuit breakers. Let’s begin by discussing single-pole circuit breakers.
A single-pole circuit breaker is the most common in today’s homes. They are called single-pole circuit breakers because they monitor the current of a single wire and trip in the event of a short or circuit overload by design. This type of circuit breaker accommodates between 15 and 30 amps, delivering a total of 120 volts to the circuit.
A double-pole circuit breaker, as you can likely guess, monitors the electrical flow through two wires at the same time. You can easily tell whether or not you have a double-pole circuit breaker installed in your home because they look like a single circuit breaker with two switches side-by-side.
When either one or both of the wires short or become overloaded, this type of circuit breaker trips. They are designed to deliver either 120/240 volts or 240 volts to a circuit. They can accommodate between 15 and 200 amps.
2. GFCI Circuit Breakers
GFCI circuit breakers are designed to protect against a line-to-ground fault. A line-to-ground fault can be dangerous because when an electrical path occurs between an electrical current and a grounded element, an electrical fire can occur.
Additionally, GFCI circuit breakers protect against an overloaded current or electrical short. By some electrical codes, these types of circuit breakers are required for areas of the home that can become wet, such as bathrooms or laundry rooms.
3. AFCI Circuit Breakers
Finally, an AFCI circuit breaker is designed to trip whenever an arc fault occurs within the electrical wiring in your home. Whenever an electrical cord is damaged, there is a serious risk of a fire. While standard breakers won’t always detect an arc fault (they’re only tripped when a significant amount of heat is detected), AFCI circuit breakers will detect such an event. AFCI circuit breakers are required in many newer homes as part of electrical code.
How to Know if Your Circuit Breaker Needs to Be Replaced
So, you may be asking, “how can I know if my circuit breaker needs to be replaced?” Well, there are a few common signs that your circuit breaker is either in need of repair or replacement. If you notice any of these signs in your home, you should contact a licensed electrician immediately. If your circuit breaker is old or damaged, you should act immediately to keep your family and property safe. Here’s what you should be on the lookout for!
A Burning Odor
One of the most common signs that your circuit breaker needs replacing is a burning smell. If you notice a burning smell in your home and confirm that it isn’t coming from any other source, immediate action must be taken. Start by inspecting your breaker box and electrical panel. Try to identify whether or not this is where the burning smell is coming from. If it is, shut off the main power and contact a local electrician immediately.
Appliances That Aren’t Working As They Should
Have you found that the electrical appliances in your home aren’t working properly? This could be an indicator that your circuit breaker needs to be replaced. Don’t immediately jump to the replacement of your appliances! Instead, consider checking whether or not the circuit breaker associated with that part of your home is working as it should.
Flickering Lights
Have you noticed that your home has flickering lights? If so, this could be a major cause for concern when it comes to your circuit breaker. Sure, a damaged or old circuit breaker may not always be to blame for this problem. If it is, however, your home is at risk. Contact a trusted electrician to determine the cause of your home’s flickering lights once and for all. You’ll be happy that you did!
Damaged Electrical Outlets
Finally, electrical outlets in your home that are discolored or burnt (producing a burning smell) don’t just mean that you’re in need of outlet repair. Your circuit breaker may be the problem. Your home’s outlets can become singed or discolored when the wire overheats as a result of a circuit breaker that isn’t working as it should. It may be time to replace one (or even several) of your home’s breakers.
Trust Our Raleigh Electricians For Electrical Repair You Can Count On!
If your circuit breaker is in need of repair or replacement, you can count on Right Electrical Services to keep you and your family safe. We specialize in electrical repair in Raleigh and beyond.
From circuit breaker repair and replacement to outlet repair and sparking appliances, no electrical repair job is too small or too large for our skilled electrical technicians.
Request service today or contact us at (919) 359-1017. We provide the electrical services you need at a price you can afford. Don’t trust less than the best with the safety of your family and property!
Renee Rose
Renee is a freelance copywriter and blogger known for her expertise surrounding topics like marketing, freelancing, mental health, and more. She has written for hundreds of small business websites and is the Marketing Director here at Right Electrical Services, LLC. Renee believes that when a business prioritizes entertaining, engaging, and informational content for their readers, they can expect a loyal following that trusts their company.
Thanks for the reminder that a burning odor can be an indicator that circuit breakers should be changed soon. I’d like to change up the wiring in one of the room in my home so I’m planning to hire an electrician for that. Maybe I should also use that opportunity to get my circuit breaker changed.
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