WHY YOUR BREAKER
KEEPS TRIPPING.

1. Overload (most common)

You plugged a space heater into the same circuit as a hair dryer and a microwave. The breaker protects the wire, so it opens before the wire melts. Fix: redistribute the load. If every circuit is overloaded, your panel is probably undersized for the house — that is a capacity problem, not an outlet problem.

2. Short circuit

Hot wire touches neutral or ground inside a device, an outlet, or the wall. This trips the breaker instantly — usually with a pop. Do not reset repeatedly. Unplug everything on the circuit, reset once, and if it trips again with nothing plugged in, the short is in the wall and you need a professional.

3. Ground fault

A hot wire leaks current to ground — often through moisture, damaged insulation, or an appliance fault. GFCI outlets and breakers detect this at low levels (4-6 mA) to protect against shock. Kitchens, bathrooms, outdoor circuits, and pool/spa circuits all require GFCI protection in Florida.

4. Failing breaker

Breakers wear out. A breaker that trips under normal load, or that feels mushy when you flip it, or that is hot to the touch, needs replacement. Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels have known failure modes where the breaker does not trip when it should — those panels should be replaced entirely, not repaired.

When to stop resetting and call

• The breaker trips immediately on reset
• The breaker is warm or hot
• You smell anything burning
• The same breaker trips with different devices plugged in
• The main breaker (the big one) trips

Related: panel upgrades & repairs · 24/7 emergency.