4 Reasons Why Your Furnace is Shutting Off Your Circuit Breaker and How to Solve It

Tripped circuit breakers are aggravating and troublesome, namely if it seems like the furnace is the culprit. If your breaker trips once and average function returns after you reset it, there is no sudden cause for alarm. In this case, a surprise power surge is the most likely cause.

However, you can’t ignore the situation if the breaker trips over and over. This may happen with both electric and gas furnaces. After all, even gas-fired furnaces depend on electricity to run the blower motor and other parts. Before you schedule furnace repair, consider the most typical reasons your furnace may be tripping the circuit breaker and how you can stop it.

1. Overloaded Furnace

Does your furnace start for a brief time before flipping the breaker? This could imply limited airflow. A dirty filter or closed air vents compels your furnace to work harder. The higher electrical draw could overheat the system, strain the circuit and flip the breaker. Here are some tips to restore unimpeded airflow and fix the problem:

• • Change the air filter.

• • Open all air registers and make certain none are restricted by furniture, curtains or rugs.

• • Don’t leave anything against the furnace or otherwise reduce airflow into it.

2. Overloaded Circuit

HVAC equipment does best on a lone circuit, but this may not be the case in older houses. Examine the labels on your electrical panel to find out if another appliance shares a circuit with your furnace. As a brief measure, you can unplug the secondary item or avoid using it while the furnace is on. A smarter, more lasting solution is to have an electrician put in a dedicated circuit for your HVAC system.

3. Short Circuit or Ground Fault

Does your furnace trigger the circuit breaker right as it begins running? This may be evidence of an electrical issue in the furnace. An exposed wire might be shorting out the circuit when it reaches a neutral wire or creates a ground fault if it touches a grounded wire or metal object. Either of these issues can surge the electrical draw enough to flip the circuit. You’ll need an HVAC professional like Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to uncover and fix the trouble.

4. Electrical Panel Issue

If you rule out any problems with your furnace, the electrical panel could be the source. Loose connections or damaged breakers will sometimes lead to finicky performance. If you own an older residence, you might need to have the panel replaced if it’s obsolete, damaged or incorrectly installed. In this case, you need assistance from an electrician.

Your furnace might continue tripping the circuit breaker despite your efforts to fix the problem by yourself. If this happens, leave the furnace off and reach out to Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for help. Our HVAC Experts can help you find the situation and recommend the needed repair. We’re proud of our service, so we stand behind it with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more details about us, or to arrange furnace repair, give us a call at 866-397-3787 now.

*Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.