4 Reasons Why Your Furnace is Tripping Your Circuit Breaker and How to Fix It

Tripped circuit breakers are annoying and worrisome, particularly if it seems like the furnace is the source. If your breaker trips once and usual function resumes after you reset it, there is no sudden cause for alarm. In this situation, an unforeseen power surge is the most likely source.

However, you can’t ignore the situation if the breaker flips multiple times. This might happen with both electric and gas furnaces. After all, even gas-fired furnaces need electricity to power the blower motor and other components. Before you schedule furnace repair, consider the most typical reasons your furnace would be throwing the circuit breaker and how you can prevent it.

1. Overheated Furnace

Does your furnace run for a brief time before throwing the breaker? This might imply limited airflow. A dirty filter or closed air vents require your furnace to work harder. The resulting electrical draw might overload the system, strain the circuit and trip the breaker. Try these tips to restore proper airflow and take care of the issue:

• • Change the air filter.

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

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

2. Overloaded Circuit

HVAC equipment should be on a lone circuit, but this might not occur in older homes. Inspect the labels on your electrical panel to learn if another appliance shares a circuit with your furnace. As an interim resolution, you can unplug the secondary item or avoid running it while the furnace is on. A better, more ongoing solution is to have an electrician install a new circuit for your HVAC system.

3. Short Circuit or Ground Fault

Does your furnace trigger the circuit breaker right as it begins running? This could be a result of an electrical malfunction inside the furnace. An exposed wire could be shorting out the circuit when it touches a neutral wire or leads to a ground fault if it meets a grounded wire or metal object. Either of these things can affect the electrical draw enough to trigger the circuit. You’ll do best with an HVAC pro like Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to uncover and resolve the issue.

4. Electrical Panel Trouble

If you eliminate any problems with your furnace, the electrical panel might be the culprit. Lax connections or faulty breakers may lead to finicky performance. If you have an older home, you might need to have the panel replaced if it’s obsolete, damaged or poorly installed. In this case, you need the expertise of an electrician.

Your furnace could keep tripping the circuit breaker in spite of your efforts to remove the problem by yourself. If this occurs, leave the furnace off and reach out to Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for assistance. Our HVAC Experts can help you identify the issue and suggest the necessary repair. We’re take pride in our service, so we support it with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more information about us, or to request furnace repair, reach us at 866-397-3787 today.

*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.