Circuit breaker replacement and tripping-breaker repair for Pinellas and Tampa Bay homes. If a breaker keeps tripping, won’t reset, feels hot or buzzes, a licensed electrician finds out whether the problem is the load, the wiring or the breaker itself, then replaces only what needs replacing.
Request breaker repair
Which breaker, how often it trips and what was running when it did: that is all we need to start. Add your city or ZIP and a licensed electrician will call or text you back.
Call (727) 476-7079 about a tripping breaker · Request service online
What a trip is telling you
A breaker is a switch that turns itself off when something on its circuit goes wrong. Tripping is the breaker doing its job. The useful question is why:
- Overload: a space heater, hair dryer and microwave sharing one circuit. Trips after a few minutes of heavy use.
- Short circuit: trips the instant you reset it, often with a snap. Something is touching that should not be.
- Ground fault: GFCI breakers on bathrooms, kitchens, garages and outdoor circuits trip on small leakage. Wet lanai outlets after a storm are a common source.
- Arc fault: AFCI breakers react to arcing at a loose terminal or damaged cord. Some trips are real problems; some are compatibility issues with certain appliances. We sort out which.
- A worn breaker: breakers age. A weak one trips below its rating, runs warm, or has a loose grip on the bus.
What to do when a breaker trips
Unplug or switch off what was running on that circuit, note which breaker tripped and what was on, and leave the breaker off. Then call us; that note helps us find the cause faster.
Call right away if you see scorch marks, smell something hot, or the panel cover is warm. Leave it off and call. Please don’t tape a breaker on or swap in a bigger one; that turns a nuisance into a fire risk.
Breaker replacement or a new panel?
Most tripping calls end with a repaired connection or a single new breaker. A panel replacement becomes the better answer when the bus bar is burned where a breaker sat, compatible breakers are no longer available, every space is full, or the panel is a Federal Pacific or Zinsco (homes built before about 1980 may still have one). In that case, see panel upgrade and replacement or Federal Pacific and Zinsco replacement.
Main breakers are a separate case. A main that trips, runs hot or shows corrosion, which is common on outdoor panels near the water, can often be replaced on its own. When the main is in the meter can or the utility has to pull the meter, we coordinate the disconnect.
AFCI, GFCI, dual-function and tandem breakers
Newer protection breakers do more than older thermal-magnetic ones, so they get blamed more often. A dual-function breaker combines AFCI and GFCI in one device. Tandem (twin) breakers fit two circuits in one space, but only in panels whose label permits them, and only the listed type.
We match breakers to the panel’s listing instead of using whatever physically clips on. A breaker that fits but is not listed for the panel can make poor contact with the bus, which is one of the ways a single slot ends up scorched.
Breaker work from our Service Fusion records
- Seminole: a surge protector and breakers on an older ITE load center, with the surge device mounted beside the panel
- Sarasota: tandem and AFCI-GFCI breaker work
- Seminole: panel wiring corrections, the kind of cleanup that often stops a nuisance trip
- Largo: a panel change-out where an older GE panel was replaced rather than patched
Nearby homeowners can find more local work on our Seminole and Clearwater electrician pages. A breaker that trips along with dead outlets or flickering lights is covered on our electrical repair & troubleshooting page.
Permits, warranty and hours
Swapping a breaker of the same type is a repair; adding a circuit or changing a panel generally needs a permit. When one is needed, we pull the permit and handle the inspection.
Florida licensed electrical contractor EC13014717 · woman-owned · Home Depot preferred contractor · based in Seminole · 2-year workmanship warranty (5 years for Member Care Plan members, who also get 7% off labor and materials) · emergency calls answered 24/7.
Why breakers trip and when to replace them
A breaker that trips is usually doing its job: an overloaded circuit, a short, or a ground fault. A breaker that trips with no load, feels hot, or will not reset may itself be failing. We test the circuit before replacing anything, so you are not paying for a new breaker when the problem is in the wiring.
Licensed electrical contractor EC13014717, woman-owned and based at 6248 Seminole Blvd, Seminole. Workmanship carries a 2-year warranty, or 5 years for Member Care Plan members. Call (727) 476-7079 or request service online.
Can a breaker wear out? Yes. Heat, corrosion and repeated trips can weaken a breaker over time.
After a storm, see our guide on what to check after a nearby lightning strike.
FAQ
Why does my breaker keep tripping? The three common reasons are too much load on the circuit, a short or ground fault somewhere on the wiring, or a breaker that has worn out. AFCI and GFCI breakers also trip on arcing or leakage that a standard breaker ignores. Testing tells us which one it is.
Can I just put in a bigger breaker? No. The breaker size is matched to the wire. A larger breaker on the same wire lets the wire overheat before anything trips. If you need more capacity, the answer is a new circuit, not a bigger breaker.
Do I need a whole new panel or just a breaker? Often just the breaker. A new panel makes more sense when the bus is burned or pitted, replacement breakers for that panel are no longer made, there is no room left, or the panel is a brand with a poor track record.
Can you replace a main breaker? Yes. A main breaker that trips, runs hot or is corroded can be replaced. Depending on the panel, the utility may need to disconnect power first, and we coordinate that.
Will any breaker that fits work in my panel? It should be a breaker listed for your panel. Tandem breakers only go where the panel label allows them. We match the brand and type rather than forcing in whatever fits the slot.
How much does breaker replacement cost? It depends on the breaker type, the panel and what caused the failure. We diagnose first and give you the price before we start. No prices are listed on this page.
Breaker won’t stay on? Call (727) 476-7079 or request service online.
Related: Panel upgrades · Electrical repair · Partial power loss & dead outlets · Whole-house surge protection · GFCI & AFCI outlets · Residential electrician