Circuit Breakers

Circuit Breaker Services in Santa Barbara

Protecting Your Home from Electrical Hazards

Your circuit breakers monitor the power required for each area of your home. When one area begins to draw too much power, you experience a flipped breaker and often unplug something before turning it back on. This occasionally happens to protect you and your home from electrical hazards. If this begins to happen frequently, Laughlin Electric offers circuit breaker services in Santa Barbara that are so good you laugh about it. Let us continue to protect your home with an up-to-date electrical system.

Don’t keep flipping breakers! Our team is here to help. Call (805) 590-2222 when you are ready to schedule an estimate.

Common Circuit Breaker Issues

Circuit breakers are a critical part of your system that prevents overheating wires and other electrical hazards from plaguing your home.

Here are typical problems that indicate you need service:

  • Overloaded circuits: An overload caused by too much power draw trips a breaker. This may happen occasionally, but if it becomes frequent, we can add more circuits to your home to separate high-energy appliances.
  • Short circuit: Aging wire can often become loose or worn, causing a hot wire to touch a neutral wire and disrupt the current’s path. This causes a short, and if the appliance’s cord isn’t damaged, this is a sign the cables behind the wall need maintenance.
  • Circuit breaker replacement: Circuit breakers can last 30 to 40 years, but if your electrical panel has never been replaced and you’re constantly flipping breakers, it may be time for a replacement. It may be hot to the touch or smell like it’s burning, indicating that you need a replacement.

Laughlin Electric invests in our employees and community with expert circuit breaker services in Santa Barbara that help keeps you and your family safe from electrical emergencies. Don’t hesitate to trust our professionals if you notice these signs.

Call us today at (805) 590-2222 or contact us online for new circuit breakers that can safely handle the power you and your family need!

Commonly Asked Questions

What are the signs that indicate I need a circuit breaker replacement?

If your electrical panel has never been replaced and you’re constantly flipping breakers, it may be time for a replacement. Additionally, if the breaker feels hot to the touch or smells like it’s burning, it is a clear indication that it needs to be replaced.

How long do circuit breakers typically last?

Circuit breakers can last 30 to 40 years. However, if you are experiencing frequent issues with your breakers, it may be a sign that they need to be replaced sooner.

What can cause an overloaded circuit?

An overload is caused by too much power draw, which trips a breaker. If this becomes frequent, additional circuits can be added to your home to separate high-energy appliances and prevent overloads.

What is a short circuit and how can it be identified?

A short circuit occurs when aging wires become loose or worn, causing a hot wire to touch a neutral wire and disrupt the current’s path. If the appliance’s cord isn’t damaged, it is a sign that the cables behind the wall need maintenance.

Hear From Our Happy Customers

Reviews & Testimonials

At Laughlin Electric, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our customers have to say about working with us.

    "Thumbs up all the way."

    We used Laughlin Electric to install StarLink satellite and assemble the wiring in a neat and efficient manner. I cannot say enough about these men who are friendly, polite, and well-educated in their field. We will use them again in the future!

    - Cynthi B.
    "Incredibly professional, courteous, and knowledgeable!"

    We called Laughlin for an urgent electrical issue that had left half of our kitchen nonfunctional. They came within a couple of hours, right at the promised time. Lucas was incredibly professional, courteous, and knowledgeable and quickly fixed our problem

    - Zadok S.
    "Very professional, knowledgeable and efficient!"

    The technicians were both very professional, knowledgeable, and efficient while being very nice, clean, and organized inside our home. I’ve had several electricians in the past and these were the most experienced I’ve seen by far.

    - Heather W.
    "I found my new go-to electrician with Laughlin."

    Laughlin sent Kurt out to add an outlet for my detached garage. He went above and beyond, explaining every aspect of his work to me. He even helped me find a new Tesla charger to install.

    - Antonio A.
    "Professional, efficient, and knowledgeable."

    Eamon at Laughlin Electric routed new ethernet cables in our house. He was professional, efficient, and knowledgeable. Now our bedroom looks a lot less cluttered and organized with our new cables. Thanks for all your help!

    - Nicole G.
    "The work was completed efficiently and the price was fair."

    We called Laughlin Electric to have power run to our motor home. They responded quickly and sent an amazing tech, Andy Hanson. Andy was very friendly and professional. The work was completed efficiently and the price was fair.

    - Savannah F.
    "Their customer focus is spot on!"

    The Laughlin team are exceptional at what they do the dedication to excellence and job completion is second to none. I have hired multiple companies over the years and their customer focus is spot on.

    - Tim M.
    "The whole experience was a good one."

    I had a great experience with Laughlin Electric. They arrived right on time and we discussed the issues I wanted solved. I received an estimate and agreed to the work which was done immediately. Highly recommend this service.

    - Helena B.

Types of Circuit Breakers

You may notice various circuit breakers in your electrical panel that don’t all look the same. All circuit breakers are responsible for interrupting the flow of electricity if they see a problem such as overloading or a short.

Here are the three types of breakers you may notice in your home:

  • Standard: These breakers can be single-pole and double-pole. Essentially, they can monitor electricity through one wire or two. Single-pole circuits are the most common and accommodate under 30 amps with 120 volts of energy. Double-pole breakers are typically used for 240 volts and under 200 amps. These are often used for washing machines, EV chargers, and other large appliances.
  • GFCI: This stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, which trips during shorts or overloads like other circuits, and when a ground wire and hot wire connect. These breakers are most used in bathrooms, laundry rooms, or outdoors where water can create a path between these wires.
  • AFCI: This acronym is for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter. An arc is when an electric cord becomes damaged and discharges a high enough voltage to start an electrical fire. Standard breakers only trip because of excessive heat, so AFCIs are often used instead based on updated electrical codes.

We want your home to be as safe as possible with circuit breakers that protect you. If your home is over 25 years old and hasn’t had an electrical update or maintenance, trust the professionals at Laughlin Electrical for expert circuit breaker services in Santa Barbara.

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