One of our specializations we offer at Jason H. Pope Electrical Services is dedicated circuits. Many appliances in your home or office are electrically linked into the same circuits. However, some larger appliances require too much power to safely be connected. They need their own circuits. That’s where dedicated circuits come in.
Some of the appliances that are legally required to have dedicated circuits include:
- HVAC systems
- dishwashers
- hot tubs
- refrigerators
- washers and dryers (separately)
- water pumps
- sump pumps
Why Do We Use Dedicated Circuits?
First off, if the appliance you’re installing is listed above, you legally must use a dedicated circuit for it. This is for safety purposes, as having too much power flowing through a circuit can cause a serious fire hazard.
On top of that, though, is the convenience factor. Having a dedicated circuit, by breaking up the amount of electricity flowing through any single circuit, helps to cut down on or prevent your circuit breakers from tripping.
Circuit breakers are responsible for cutting off the flow of electricity whenever an unsafe amount of power is flowing through the circuit. It’s a necessary and good feature, but it’s also annoying. A tripped circuit breaker can mean having to trudge down to the basement, flip the switch, and reboot your appliances. Using dedicated circuits usually means fewer circuit breaker trips.
Signs That You Need a Dedicated Circuit (or a Few)
That leads us to the crux of the issue. How do you know when a dedicated circuit might be the solution you need? Here’s a few simple tell-tale signs to look out for.
- Outlets on the Outs: If you find that there are certain outlets you can’t plug appliances into without tripping a breaker, that’s a sign that there is too much power already flowing through the circuit associated with that outlet.
- Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen: Have you ever started up the microwave and had your toaster oven shut off? That’s a similar issue. It means the circuit breaker is tripping because too many appliances are on the same line.
- Hot Ticket Items: Circuits usually run at around 15-20 amps. If you have an appliance that operates at a higher amperage, you’ll likely need to dedicate a circuit solely to that appliance. Notably, most of these larger items are on the legally-mandated list above.
For more information on dedicated circuits, solutions to circuit breaker issues, and other electrical services, contact Jason H. Pope Electrical Services today.
