What Types of Breakers Are Recommended for Tampa Homes?
Your circuit breakers are among your most important home safety devices. By shutting off your power whenever electrical problems occur, they can prevent fires and other hazards.
Breakers come in different types, however. And, if you choose the right type for your Tampa home, you can fully protect your household from electrical dangers.
Understanding the Role of Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers are the electrical switches that are positioned inside a box called an electrical panel (or breaker box).
This box is often made of metal and usually stored in an out-of-the-way spot — perhaps a closet, basement, or garage. Most homes have one primary breaker box and 20 to 40 circuit breakers.
Your breakers constantly monitor your home’s flow of electricity. Whenever they detect abnormal electrical activity — a short circuit or an overload, for example — they trip.
When a breaker trips, it immediately shuts off a home’s power, and the power will stay off until the breaker is reset. Thus, these devices can prevent electrical shocks, surges, and fires.
Factors That Affect Breaker Choices in Tampa
When selecting circuit breakers, you should first consider your home’s electrical load: the total amount of power it can consume at any one time.
The right circuit breaker will have amperage ratings that match your home’s load. If its rating is too low, a breaker will frequently trip for no good reason. Of course, that can be a real nuisance.
On the other hand, if a breaker’s rating is too high, it won’t detect electrical problems effectively. Consequently, your electrical wires and appliances could get damaged, and a fire could even break out.
Local building codes and home insurance policies forbid using circuit breakers with too-high ratings. In fact, if this issue led to a fire, your insurance company probably wouldn’t compensate you at all.
Recommended Breaker Types for Tampa Homes
Let’s now examine some specific circuit breaker options:
Standard Single-Pole & Double-Pole Breakers
Single-pole breakers are the most common breakers for homes. Their capacity is 120 volts, the standard residential voltage in North America.
If your home consumes more power than average, double-pole circuit breakers might suit it better. Such a breaker can simultaneously handle two 120-volt circuits.
GFCI Breakers
Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are designed for spaces that are frequently affected by moisture. That is, in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoor areas, they protect people from ground faults and electrical shocks. (A ground fault is when electricity mistakenly flows to the ground.)
AFCI Breakers
An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) can detect an electrical arc, a current that leaps in the air from one spot to another. Arcs cause sparks, which can lead to fires. And they’re usually the result of damaged wiring or faulty installations.
In some of Tampa’s older neighborhoods, outdated wiring is common. And outdated wiring is often prone to arcing. Thus, if you have such wiring, arc fault breakers are essential.
Dual-Function AFCI/GFCI Breakers
For maximum protection, AFCI/GFCI circuit breakers are available. As their name suggests, they ward against ground faults and arc faults.
Surge Protection Breakers
During voltage spikes, surge protection breakers send excess power into the ground through a grounding wire. In the process, they can prevent major damage.
Surge protection breakers are especially helpful to Tampa homeowners due to the region’s frequent lightning storms.
High-Capacity Breakers for Large Appliances
Many homes in Tampa have higher-than-average electricity needs. After all, running air-conditioning systems and pool pumps year-round — to name two examples — requires a great deal of power.
Fortunately, high-capacity breakers will ensure proper load support: They can handle considerably more amperage than standard breakers.
When Tampa Homeowners Should Upgrade Breakers
Under the right circumstances, high-quality circuit breakers can last between 20 and 40 years.
However, numerous factors could shorten their lifespan, including circuit breaker overload, faulty installation, dust, debris, moisture, heat, and heavy usage.
You should replace your breakers if they’re tripping frequently and for no apparent reason. Likewise, you might need new breakers if your home has older wiring or if its electrical load changes due to renovations or new appliances.
Why Breaker Installation Should Be Done by a Licensed Electrician
If it’s time for new circuit breakers — or if you need a fuse box replacement — you should definitely call a licensed electrician. That’s because DIY breaker replacement can be ineffective and surprisingly dangerous.
If a circuit breaker replacement isn’t handled with the utmost care, precision, and expertise, it can cause overheating or an electrical fire.
Moreover, even if you turned off your electrical panel before starting a circuit breaker replacement, it would still be possible to get an electric shock. That shock could even be fatal.
Not to mention, a professional installation will ensure load calculation accuracy and electrical panel compatibility. Accordingly, your breakers will perform at optimum levels, and they’ll adhere to all applicable building codes so it won’t overload.
Get Help From Tampa Mister Sparky for Choosing the Right Breaker
Whenever you need new circuit breakers, Tampa Mister Sparker is standing by to help. We could inspect your breakers as well. Obviously, avoiding home electrical problems is far less costly than dealing with their aftermath.
Plus, in Central Florida, Mister Sparky represents the gold standard in electrical services. We’ll ensure that your home has a steady and reliable supply of electricity. And we’ll make certain that your home’s electrical system meets or exceeds all local safety regulations and insurance policy rules.
All of our electricians are licensed and insured, and they’re all authorities in their field. Yes, we handle our work safely and efficiently, and we guarantee excellent results. On top of that, we’re always respectful, punctual, and dependable.
So don’t put up with any malarky; call Mister Sparky. You could contact us anytime. And then you could enjoy the convenience and peace of mind that come with the industry’s finest circuit breaker installations.