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

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

However, you can’t neglect the situation if the breaker gets thrown multiple times. This might happen with both electric and gas furnaces. After all, even gas-fired furnaces utilize electricity to power the blower motor and other pieces. Before you schedule furnace repair, review the most common reasons your furnace would be tripping the circuit breaker and how you can avoid it. 

1. Overworked Furnace 

Does your furnace start for a brief time before throwing the breaker? This can indicate weak airflow. A dirty filter or closed air vents force your furnace to work harder. The larger electrical draw can overload the system, strain the circuit and flip the breaker. Here are some tips to restore proper airflow and resolve the problem: 

• Replace the air filter. 
• Open all air registers and make sure none are obstructed by furniture, curtains or rugs. 
• Don’t lean anything against the furnace or otherwise reduce airflow into it. 

2. Overloaded Circuit 

HVAC equipment should be on its own circuit, but this may not be the case in older houses. Find the labels on your electrical panel to find out if another appliance shares a circuit with your furnace. As a temporary resolution, you can unplug the secondary item or avoid operating it while the furnace is working. A wiser, more permanent solution is to have an electrician create an individual 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 in the furnace. An exposed wire might be shorting out the circuit when it brushes against a neutral wire or leads to a ground fault if it meets 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 specialist like Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning to uncover and repair the trouble. 

4. Electrical Panel Problem 

If you exclude any problems with your furnace, the electrical panel could be to blame. Loose connections or damaged breakers may lead to erratic performance. If you own an older home, you may need to have the panel replaced if it’s too old, damaged or poorly installed. In this instance, you need help from an electrician. 

Your furnace may keep tripping the circuit breaker in spite of your efforts to fix the situation yourself. If this occurs, leave the furnace off and call Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for help. Our HVAC Experts can help you identify the problem and advise the necessary repair. We’re take pride in our service, so we back it with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more details about us, or to request furnace repair, call us at 954-736-4314 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.