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

Tripped circuit breakers are frustrating and stressful, particularly if it seems like the furnace is the cause. If your breaker trips once and regular performance resumes after you reset it, there is no sudden cause for alarm. In this case, an unrelated power surge is typically the cause. 

However, you can’t neglect the problem if the breaker flips repeatedly. This may happen with both electric and gas furnaces. After all, even gas-fired furnaces rely on electricity to power the blower motor and other pieces. Before you arrange furnace repair, think about the most common reasons your furnace may be blowing the circuit breaker and how you can stop it. 

1. Overloaded Furnace 

Does your furnace start for a brief time before flipping the breaker? This could stem from reduced airflow. A dirty filter or closed air vents force your furnace to work harder. The increased electrical draw might overload the system, strain the circuit and flip the breaker. Here are some tips to restore proper airflow and fix the trouble: 

  • Swap out the air filter. 
  • Open all air registers and ensure none are obstructed by furniture, curtains or rugs. 
  • Don’t put anything against the furnace or otherwise restrict airflow into it. 

2. Overloaded Circuit 

HVAC equipment does best on a lone circuit, but this might not occur in older homes. Inspect 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 safer, more permanent solution is to have an electrician create a dedicated circuit for your HVAC system. 

3. Short Circuit or Ground Fault 

Does your furnace trip the circuit breaker as soon as it starts? This is frequently an electrical issue inside the furnace. An exposed wire might be shorting out the circuit when it touches a neutral wire or leads to a ground fault if it comes into contact with a grounded wire or metal object. Either of these problems can increase the electrical draw enough to trip the circuit. You’ll want an HVAC professional like Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to find and repair the trouble. 

4. Electrical Panel Problem 

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

Your furnace could continue tripping the circuit breaker regardless of your efforts to remove the issue yourself. If this occurs, leave the furnace off and contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for assistance. Our HVAC Experts can help you identify the problem and advise the required repair. We’re confident in our service, so we back it with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more details about us, or to schedule furnace repair, give us a call 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.