Why does my electric fireplace keep tripping the circuit breaker? 

Similar to space heaters, an electric fireplace can be a great way to provide supplemental heat to your living space during cold weather. Unfortunately, most of these units cannot run for long before the trip, which can be very frustrating. There are a few reasons that might cause that to happen. And that’s exactly what we’ll be looking at in this post to help you understand why your electric fireplace keeps tripping the circuit breaker. Best of all, I’ll show you some of the things you might need to do to protect your electric fireplace from potential damage before you call a pro! 

What is a circuit breaker?

As the name implies, a circuit breaker is a device that cuts off the flow of electricity through an electrical line whenever the current gets unsafe or too high to protect your home from electrical issues. More notably, circuit breakers prevent various forms of electrical damage and injury like electrical fires and shocks from occurring often. 

A tripped circuit breaker causes power to go off in a specific part of the house instead of throughout the house. For instance, you may notice that multiple outlets in one room have stopped working. Alternatively, if you have connected your electric fireplace to a dedicated circuit, only that power outlet will stop working when the circuit breaker trips. 

That said, let’s look at why your electric fireplace may be tripping the circuit breaker! 

Why your electric fireplace keeps tripping the breaker 

1. Overloaded circuit 

If your electric fireplace doesn’t connect to a dedicated circuit, the circuit breaker may be mysteriously tripping because of an overloaded circuit. Besides, electric fireplaces feature a heating element that draws a lot more electricity than regular home appliances. Therefore, plugging in any additional lights and appliances into the same circuit as the fireplace can overload it. Consequently, the circuit will become overworked, causing it to shut off and trip the circuit breaker. 

To fix this problem, avoid connecting additional appliances on the same circuit as the fireplace or use a dedicated circuit for your electric fireplace. Alternatively, contact an experienced electrician who will offer a more permanent solution. 

2. Faulty electric fireplace circuits 

A faulty circuit in an electric fireplace is another potential issue that can cause serious consequences like tripping the breaker. Even worse, it can lead to a complete power outage in your home, leaving you in the dark. 

For that reason, it’s important to stay alert for any strange smells or signs from your fireplaces as these may indicate problems with internal components and wires of the unit. In addition, perform an annual inspection of the fireplace. This will help you detect issues with the appliance’s circuits before they become serious while ensuring the safety and warmth of your living space during the cold season. 

3. Over- or short supply of electricity to the fireplace 

An electric fireplace comes in handy on colder days & nights as it ensures your home stays warm. However, if you exceed the amount of electricity provided to the heater or one outlet, the breaker might trip. Similarly, if there is an inadequate overload or short supply of electricity to a single power outlet or appliance, the breaker will trip. As a result, the electric system will shut down to protect your home against potential fires. 

On the bright side, you can avoid tripping the circuit breaker and still have adequate warmth for your home by buying a higher-powered heater element. This will prevent the electric fireplace from putting extra strain on the current electric system when in use, helping to avoid over- or short electricity supply to the fireplace. 

4. An issue with the main electricity source supply 

A malfunctioning or overloaded electric power supply can lead to serious problems for your home. More importantly, it usually causes the breaker to trip and sometimes results in a complete power failure. Unfortunately hiring a qualified electrician to fix the circuit breaker or manually resetting it is often expensive and time-consuming. For that, it’s important to evaluate how much electricity the electric fireplace you intend to buy consumes to avoid this issue. Moreover, monitoring the energy usage of your electric fireplace will help to keep your family safe and prevent unexpected disruption to your home’s electrical system. 

5. Faulty extension cord, wiring, or power plug 

Lastly, your electric fireplace may be tripping the breaker due to a damaged extension cord, power plug, or wire. Therefore, it’s important to regularly check these components and take the necessary measures to ensure everything is working properly. Damaged extension cords and wires prevent electricity from flowing through your house like normal, causing the fireplace to automatically shut off.

How to fix the issue of the electric fireplace tripping the breaker

1. Check if your electric fireplace is plugged into an outlet on an overloaded circuit 

As the popularity of electric fireplaces continues to increase, it’s essential for homeowners to take the necessary safety precautions when installing these appliances. If the fireplace continuously turns off the circuit breaker, the first step should be to check whether the unit is plugged into an overloaded circuit.

 As mentioned earlier, an overloaded circuit can potentially produce excessive heating, leading to electrical fires and other risks. For that, it’s important to plug your electric fireplace into a wall outlet that hasn’t been overloaded by unplugging any additional appliances or keep the fireplace to a dedicated circuit. 

Secondly, if you intend to plug the unit into an extension cord, make sure it’s rated for the power of your electric fireplace. This is because extension cords that aren’t rated for the power of electric fireplaces can be very dangerous as they can cause overheating and possible fires. Therefore, it’s good to always check the wattage of the fireplace before you use an extension cord. Specifically, the extension cord you intend to use should have a higher rating than the wattage of the fireplace. 

2. Unplug other appliances connected to the same circuit as the electric fireplace 

The easiest way to avoid an overloaded circuit is to unplug other appliances that are connected to the same outlet as the electric fireplace. Doing so will help your electric system run more smoothly during the cold months while preventing costly repairs because of unexpected electricity shut-offs. In addition, it’s important to clean the dirty heater element of your electric fireplace to get rid of accumulated dust. 

3. Check if there are any loose wires in the wall outlet or around the electric fireplace 

Exposed wiring increases the risk of potential fire hazards. For that, it’s important to regularly check for loose or disconnected wires leading away from your electric fireplace. At the same time, check your wall outlets to ensure that they have a secure connection. Wiring connections that are not secured properly can cause a current overload in the outlet which increases the risk of fire hazards and electrical; shock. 

4. Reset the circuit breaker 

If the above solutions do not fix the problem, it may just be that your circuit breaker isn’t working properly and needs to be reset. So, before you call an electrician or troubleshoot the appliance further, it’s a good idea to check the circuit breaker box. 

If nothing seems to be malfunctioning or off and all switches are on, reset the breaker by switching it off and turning it back on again. Allow 10 to 15 seconds between each switch to see if this will fix the problem. 

5. Contact a professional electrician if the problem persists 

Finally, if the electric fireplaces keep tripping the circuit breaker despite your efforts to fix the electrical issue, the next best course of action is to contact a professional electrician. The electrician’s skills and experience will allow them to safely diagnose and resolve the problem in no time. Plus, they will help you prevent future problems and identify potential safety issues that your electric fireplace may have. 

Final Word 

Although an electric fireplace is a relatively simple piece of equipment, it requires specialized care when troubleshooting why the electric fireplace keeps tripping the breaker. To start, check the power outlet to ensure that there are no loose wires before proceeding to the other solutions. However, if the problem persists after trying all the suggested solutions, it’s a wise decision to consult a licensed professional electrician to ensure maximum performance of your unit. Also, make sure you perform professional inspection and maintenance every year to ensure the safe use of the appliance over the long term.