Why Does My Water Heater Trip the Circuit Breaker?

Have you ever had your water heater trip the circuit breaker, and then after you reset the breaker, it happened again? You aren’t alone. If you’ve been in this position, we have answers for you about what caused this, what to do, and how to prevent it in the future.

Reasons Your Water Heater Is Tripping the Breaker

A few different things may have caused this. The problem could be:

• Burnt heating elements: The element that heats the water may have split, exposing the electrical components to the water. If this happens, the short circuit can flip a switch on your water heating, causing the breaker to trip.
• The breaker or wiring: There’s a chance that the problem isn’t with your water heater at all. The breaker may be worn out and trip. A wire also may be loose in the electrical panel, causing a short circuit.
• Your thermostat: If your thermostat goes bad, it can draw more electricity than the circuit can handle, causing the breaker to trip.

What Should You Do?

First, do not continue flipping the breaker back on. If you do this, you run the risk of the wires overheating and potentially starting a fire. This can also wear out your circuit breaker and damage your water heater further.

You also should not replace your breaker with a higher-rated breaker. If you increase the size of the breaker without replacing the wiring or the rest of the circuit, your breaker will let additional electricity flow to the circuit. This can put your wires at risk of overheating and potentially cause a fire.

How to Prevent This in the Future

The best way to prevent this problem in the future is to have it repaired as soon as possible. Depending on what’s causing this problem, a trained plumber can tell you the next steps to take. If you need to replace your breaker, water heater, or thermostat, do so in a timely manner and help prevent this problem from happening again.

Schedule Water Heater Repair Service in Howard County with Heil Plumbing & HVAC

Don’t try to diagnose this problem on your own. Call in one of the highly trained plumbers from Heil Plumbing & HVAC to assess the situation and figure out where your problem lies. Our team is able to determine what device requires repair and can make that repair in a timely and efficient manner.

At Heil Plumbing & HVAC, we put our customers first. For all of your plumbing needs, we’re just a call away.

Why Choose Heil

• Years In Business
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The Heil Difference

We’re dedicated to offering the highest quality residential and commercial plumbing services for every customer. Our plumbers are available to respond to your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our residential and commercial plumbers in Columbia and Ellicott City cover every need, from simple fixture repairs to complex drain and sewer problems.

While we are based in Jessup, Maryland, our plumbing contractors also service Catonsville, Columbia, Ellicott City, Odenton, Clarksville, Elkridge, Fulton, Laurel, and Severn.