10/14/2026
Normally when I receive calls about circuit breakers, it's because they won't reset. But this time, it was a breaker that wouldn't trip.
We received a call from a local realtor that an AFCI breaker wasn't responding to its built-in test button during a final home inspection.
Although the breaker was still supplying power to the circuit, pressing the test button wouldn't cause it to trip as designed.
AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) breakers are designed to detect potentially dangerous electrical arcing that could lead to a fire. Their built-in test buttons allow us to verify that the breaker's protective functions are operating properly.
Rather than immediately jumping into extensive & expensive troubleshooting, we recommended replacing the breaker as the most cost-effective first step.
Fortunately, that was all it needed! The replacement breaker passed its test, and everything was back in working order.
Just because a breaker is supplying power doesn't necessarily mean it's providing the protection it's designed to.
Sometimes it's the little things that matter most when it comes to electrical safety.