⚡ Why Is Your Circuit Breaker Tripping? Here’s What You Need to Know (UK Guide)

If you’ve ever been halfway through boiling the kettle and suddenly — click — everything goes dark, you’re not alone.

Tripping breakers are one of the most common electrical issues we see in homes across Exeter and the South West. But what actually causes it? And when should you call a professional?

At EPM, we get called to these problems all the time — and today, we’re going to break it down in plain English.

🔌 First Off — What Is a Circuit Breaker, Anyway?

Think of a circuit breaker like a safety valve for your home’s electrical system. If something goes wrong — too much current, a fault, or a short — it cuts the power to prevent fires, shocks, or further damage.

So if it’s tripping, that’s not the system failing — it’s doing its job.

But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it.

⚠️ Common Reasons Your Breaker Keeps Tripping

1. Overloaded Circuit

This is the most common cause we see — especially in kitchens or extensions.

💡 Example: You’ve got the toaster, kettle, air fryer, and microwave running on the same circuit. That’s often too much current for the wiring to safely handle.

What to do:
Unplug a few things and reset the breaker. If it keeps happening, the circuit may need upgrading or redistributing.

2. Faulty Appliance

Sometimes it’s not the wiring — it’s one dodgy plug.

💡 We’ve seen it first-hand: A single fridge or washing machine can trip an RCD (residual current device) every time it cycles if it has an earth fault.

How to check:
Unplug everything on the affected circuit, then plug items back in one by one until it trips again.

⚠️ Still tripping with nothing plugged in? Likely an internal wiring issue — time to call in a professional.

3. Short Circuit

This happens when a live wire touches neutral or earth — creating an instant surge of current. It’s a serious fault that needs attention straight away.

Common signs:

Burning smell near sockets or the consumer unit
Scorch marks
Loud “snap” sound before power cuts

🔥 Don’t ignore this — it can lead to overheating or fire risk. Get it looked at immediately.

4. RCD Tripping (Earth Fault)

If your RCD trips, it means electricity is leaking somewhere it shouldn’t — often due to faulty insulation or moisture ingress.

💡 Real-life example: We’ve attended jobs where a garden light fitting had let water in, and every time it rained, the house lost power. Took us 20 minutes to trace it — but saved the customer hours of frustration.

5. 🐭 Unusual But True: Rodents Chewing Wires

Yes, it happens — especially in older properties or loft spaces. We’ve seen tripping caused by mice gnawing through cables in attics or under floorboards.

If it’s an intermittent fault with no clear cause, this is sometimes the culprit.

When Should You Call a Professional?

Here’s a quick rule of thumb:

Scenario	DIY Safe?	Call an Electrician?
Breaker trips once, resets fine	✅
Trips frequently, same appliance	✅ (Unplug + test)
Trips randomly, no clear cause	❌	✅
Smell of burning, signs of heat	❌	✅ Immediately
RCD trips and won’t reset	❌	✅
Breaker won’t stay on at all	❌	✅

We always say: if in doubt, don’t guess — electricity isn’t something to “see what happens” with.

Does This Mean I Need a Rewire?

Not necessarily.

Tripping doesn’t always mean your whole system is shot — but it can be a sign that it’s time for an electrical inspection (especially if your fuse board is dated or you’ve had recent power issues).

We can check: