A circuit box can become a little warm from electrical resistance. However, when it is hot to the touch, there is a problem. Electrical circuit boxes that overheat can cause immense property damage which is both costly and inconvenient. If you notice that the circuit box for your home is getting too warm, this is a warning sign that action is needed.
Identifying a Hot Circuit Breaker
Electricity normally generates heat. However, when a circuit box’s capacity is under duress, it will overheat. Safety limits assure that a circuit box will only run at an 80% capacity. When home power needs exceed this demand, the circuit breaker requires an urgent upgrade. If a circuit breaker overheats, it may be improperly designed or has undergone too much wear and tear to maintain safe capacity levels. Hot circuit breaker boxes can also mean that the system is old.
A network of wires throughout the home is designed to transfer electricity to endpoints where it is needed. All these wires feed through to the main source of power supply in the circuit box. This serves as a safety control point. Resistance builds up naturally when the electrical appliances, lights, heaters, and other sources are working, which should only generate normal heat levels.
If more power is being used than the circuit box can handle, it overheats. When this happens, you should immediately switch off the circuit box. The on/off switch is in the main circuit box. Switch this off if it is hot or if the power trips regularly.
Call an Expert Electrician
An unsafe circuit box will be hot to touch and can emit a burning odor. A hot circuit box also poses an immediate danger to property and life. Avoid placing your family or property at further risk. Call Tim Kyle Electric, a professional electrician in Rosemont, to resolve the problem of a hot circuit breaker to reestablish a safe home environment.