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

Tripped circuit breakers are irritating and worrisome, particularly if it seems like the furnace is the culprit. If your breaker gets thrown once and average operation starts after you reset it, there is no sudden cause for concern. In this case, an unrelated power surge is the most likely reason.

However, you can’t avoid the situation if the breaker trips repeatedly. 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 pieces. Before you schedule furnace repair, think about the most common reasons your furnace would be tripping the circuit breaker and how you can stop it.

1. Overloaded Furnace

Does your furnace run for just a few minutes before flipping the breaker? This could stem from limited airflow. A dirty filter or closed air vents require your furnace to work harder. The resulting electrical draw could overwork the system, strain the circuit and flip the breaker. Try these tips to restore proper airflow and fix the problem:

• • Replace the air filter.

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

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

2. Full Circuit

HVAC equipment does best on a dedicated circuit, but this might not happen in older homes. Review the labels on your electrical panel to determine if another appliance shares a circuit with your furnace. As a brief measure, you can unplug the secondary item or avoid running it while the furnace is in use. A wiser, more permanent solution is to have an electrician install a new circuit for your HVAC system.

3. Short Circuit or Ground Fault

Does your furnace trip the circuit breaker as soon as it starts? This may be evidence of an electrical malfunction within the furnace. An exposed wire might be shorting out the circuit when it touches a neutral wire or causes a ground fault if it comes into contact with a grounded wire or metal object. Either of these things can surge the electrical draw enough to trip the circuit. You’ll do best with an HVAC professional like Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to uncover and resolve the issue.

4. Electrical Panel Trouble

If you exclude any trouble with your furnace, the electrical panel might be to blame. Poor connections or malfunctioning breakers might lead to erratic performance. If you live in an older home, you could need to have the panel replaced if it’s obsolete, damaged or inadequately installed. In this situation, you need assistance from an electrician.

Your furnace might keep tripping the circuit breaker despite your efforts to resolve the situation yourself. If this happens, leave the furnace off and reach out to Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for support. Our HVAC Experts can help you diagnose the situation and advise the required repair. We’re proud of our repair, so we back it with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more info about us, or to request 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.