It can be difficult to determine if you've got a bad circuit breaker. There are steps you can take before deciding to repair, replace, or call an electrician.

My GFCI test button won’t push in when I try to reset it, but nothing has tripped in the breaker box, and the hairdryer works when I plug it into outlets down the hall. Why won’t my GFCI reset?

We asked an expert to explain all the problems that can cause tripped circuits, how to check your circuit breaker, and when to call a professional.

Generally, a circuit breaker will trip due to either a circuit shorted to ground or an overloaded circuit. If the circuit breaker trips as soon as the breaker is reset or when the system is turned on, ...

Use this guide to find out what the switches on your breaker mean so you can take better control of your house. Related: How to Reset a Tripped Circuit Breaker ...

A circuit breaker which has been tripped will either be in the middle or “OFF” position. Locate the tripped circuit breaker and reset it by pushing it all the way to the “OFF” position and ...

Circuit breakers protect the electronics in your home. In the event of a power overload or a short, they "trip", which is to say, they turn themselves off, cutting off electricity to the affected ...

However, the circuit breaker needs to be pushed back into the ON position but not held in the On position to reset its internal mechanism.

Harrisburg, Pa. – Tyco Electronics says that its compact P&B W57 series thermal circuit breakers cannot be manually tripped. When the circuit breaker is tripped, a push-button doubles as the reset ...

Use this guide to find out what the switches on your breaker mean so you can take better control of your house. Related: How to Reset a Tripped Circuit Breaker What Is a Breaker Panel?