Which Appliances Need Individual Circuit Breakers?

An electrical circuit is simply a path through which your home’s electrical supply flows. Your electrical panel contains several circuits, each one containing a circuit breaker that stops the flow of electricity if there is a dangerous power spike or if an appliance or outlet tries to draw too much current. While appliances with higher power demands than average appliances and electronics should have their own dedicated circuit and breaker, there are other instances in which appliances with lower power ratings should also be put on a separate circuit. Here is a look at some of appliances and electronics that require individual circuit breakers, and how to have dedicated circuits installed using a residential electrician .

Power-Hungry Appliances
Most of the appliances that require their own circuit and circuit breaker are those that draw more power than average appliances and electrical devices. Common examples of power-hungry appliances include electrical ranges, wall ovens, refrigerators, heating and air conditioning units, furnaces, water heaters, washing machines, and dryers. Ask your San Jose electrician for a complete list of appliances that require dedicated circuits per the National Electric Code.

Expensive Appliances and/or Electronics
When several appliances and electrical devices are on the same circuit, they all share the same electrical supply. While this is not a problem for small electricity users such as lamps and fans, expensive appliances and/or electronics might be more sensitive to power fluctuations that can occur on a shared circuit. To protect your computers, flat screen televisions, and other expensive electrical devices, have them put on a dedicated circuit.

Must-Work Appliances and/or Devices
There are some appliances and electrical devices that need to work in order to protect your home and keep your family safe. Sump pumps, for example, should be put on a dedicated circuit to ensure that they don’t stop working because of a blown fuse as the result of a power surge. It is also a good idea to put your garage door opener on a dedicated circuit, seeing as your garage door weighs hundreds of pounds and a fault in the electrical supply to the opener can send all of that weight crashing down.