Have you ever plugged in an appliance such as a refrigerator and lights went out? This is not due to a power outage or any disaster but rather the work of tripped breaker. Breakers are sort of safety switches that shut down whenever an electrical circuit overloads.

I am sure you have heard of the term electrical panel but let us define what it is. It is a metal box with a door and once the door is opened there are many switches. It has a main circuit breaker attached that controls the power of the entire house. Individual breaker is responsible for a specific part of the house. Outside you will find an electrical meter that provides electricity to the panel.

You might wonder how exactly it works. Once the circuit overloads the breakers trip or shuts off if you will. They prevent damage to electrical devices, if they do not trip then a fire or electrocute might happen. There are various sizes of breakers based on the electricity they have to handle. Once it trips all you have to do is reset it.  IN older houses where you might have fuse boxes you cannot reset them you have to replace them.

There are various cases when something can go wrong in which situations you need the help of a professional electrician.

If your breaker trips too often that can be a problem of a capacity. Another problem can be corrosion of a panel or the wiring can get moisture. Obviously, electricity and moisture do not go hand in hand with each other. A short circuit is another very serious problem when one electrified wire touches a neutral or other hot wire. This causes a short circuit. A ground fault is yet another cause of calling an electrician. It is very similar to a short circuit but it touches the ground wire. (Note: grounded wire is the one from which electricity flows to the ground. )This often happens when electricity meets water.

To conclude electrical panels are essential and need to be taken care of therefore you need an excellent electrician that will help you proceed with it.