What is a Dedicated Circuit?
All electricity that enters your home goes through your circuit breaker box or fuse box. Within your circuit breaker box/fuse box you have individual circuits that feed electricity into different sections of your home or business. Each circuit is protected by a breaker or fuse. Outlets for small electrical appliances require 15-amp circuits. Outlets for mid-range items, like hair dryers and toasters, require 20-amp circuits. Heavy duty appliances like dryers can require anywhere from 30 to 50 amp dedicated circuits and are protected by “double pole” breakers. For safety reasons, certain medium and heavy duty appliances require their own circuit or a “dedicated circuit”.
At HighTower Electric we have the safety of you and your family in mind. Give us a call and we will make sure that you have all the dedicated circuits you need to safely operate your home or business.
Common Appliances that Need Dedicated Circuits
|
|
Anytime you install a heavy duty electrical appliance it needs to have its own dedicated circuit with the appropriate size wire and circuit breaker. The size of the wire and circuit breaker will depend upon whether the electrical appliance is 120-volts or 240-volts.
What Happens if I Don’t Have the Right Dedicated Circuits?
If you don’t have the appropriate dedicated circuit, an appliance may draw more current than the circuit can handle. This can cause the wiring to overheat and the insulation around the wire to breakdown or melt. Once the insulating barrier around the wire has melted, the current is no longer confined, and can ignite flammable materials within the wall leading to an electrical fire. Fortunately, circuit breakers sense the flow of excess current and stop the surge of current before damage takes place. If your circuit breaker is continuously tripping, as a safety precaution you should call Mr. Electric to have a dedicated circuit installed.
If you are remodeling your home or business, adding a new heavy duty electrical appliance or you simply need additional outlets, you will need new dedicated circuits.
Don’t risk the shutdown of critical appliances or worse – an electrical fire. Call HighTower Electric today for the dedicated circuits you need to protect your family .
