Short Circuits

Short circuits occur when two electrical wires accidentally touch each other. A short circuit will immediately cause one of your circuit breakers to trip off or one of your fuses to blow.

To fix a short circuit, ask yourself this question: "What was happening right before the short circuit?" If you had just plugged something into a receptacle (outlet) or turned on a light or an appliance, then this gives you a clue as to what caused the short.

If you just plugged in an iron, for instance, you can simply unplug the iron and then re-set the circuit breaker or replace the fuse. If everything is now OK, then your electrical system is fine - and it's time to get a new iron!

If, however, you can't find anything plugged in which is causing the problem, then it's time to call a good electrician to locate and repair your short circuit.