Why a breaker keeps tripping, and when to stop resetting it
A breaker that trips is doing its job. Here is how to tell an overload from a fault.
Linden Street Electric, licensed electrical contractor (sample)
Electricians for homes and small businesses in Springfield
Outlets, lighting, rewiring, panel upgrades and EV chargers. A written price before we start, permits pulled for you, and a 24-hour line when the power goes out.
Main breaker
200
Panel upgrades
New 200 A panel or service change, from $2,400
Lighting
Fixtures, dimmers, recessed lights, from $145
15
1
2
20
Rewiring
Old or aluminum wiring, quote after a survey
Outlets and switches
New, GFCI or USB outlets, from $95
20
3
4
15
Smoke and CO alarms
Hard-wired and linked, $85 each
EV charger
Level 2 install with permit, from $1,150
40
5
6
20
Kitchen and bath circuits
Remodel circuits to code, written quote
Generator inlet
Inlet and interlock kit, from $780
30
7
Circuit directory (sample). Each line is a job we do, on the breaker it runs on. Example prices. The orange flag marks a tripped breaker.
When to call an electrician
Most electrical faults give a warning first. These are the six we are called about most, and what to do before we arrive.
A burning smell or a hot outlet
Heat at a loose or overloaded connection, behind the wall or in the panel.
Switch that circuit off and call the 24-hour line.
A breaker that trips again after a reset
The circuit is overloaded or has a fault that the breaker is catching.
Leave it off and book a visit this week.
Lights that flicker or dim
A loose connection, or a big appliance sharing a circuit with the lights.
Book a check, sooner if it is getting worse.
Outlets with two holes and no ground
Common in homes wired before the 1960s; nothing protects you from a shock.
Ask about grounding or GFCI protection.
No GFCI outlets near water
Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, garage and outside need them under today’s code.
We fit them in an hour or two.
Buzzing from a switch or the panel
Arcing or a failing breaker. It does not fix itself.
Book a visit; do not open the panel cover.
How a job runs
From the first call to the inspection sticker. You know the price before we start and you see every circuit tested before we leave.
1
Call or send the form
Tell us what is wrong or what you are planning. Photos of the panel help.
2
Visit and written quote
An electrician looks at the job and the panel and gives you a fixed price in writing. Free in Springfield (sample).
3
Permit
If the job needs one, we apply for the permit and book the inspection.
4
The work
Power off only on the circuits we work on, floors covered, dust cleaned up every day.
5
Tested and labelled
Every circuit tested, the inspection passed and the directory in your panel brought up to date.
EV charger installation
A Level 2 charger fills most cars overnight. It needs its own 40 A circuit, so we check your panel first and tell you if it has room.
Level 2 charger, up to 30 ft from the panel
$1,150
Panel load check
Included
Permit and inspection
Included
Panel upgrade, if the panel is full
From $2,400
Example prices. The charger itself is extra; we fit the one you buy or suggest one.
Power out, sparks or a burning smell?
Call the 24-hour line. An electrician calls you back within 15 minutes (sample) and tells you what to do while we drive over.
- If you smell burning, switch off the main breaker if you can reach it safely
- If a breaker trips, reset it once; if it trips again, leave it off
- If a line is down outside, keep well away and call the utility first
Call-out $120 at night, weekends and holidays, then the hourly rate (example prices).
Rates
Quote visit in Springfield
Free
Service call, first hour
Includes travel and a check of the panel
$145
Each extra half hour
$55
Home safety inspection
Houses up to 2,500 sq ft, with a written report
$189
Emergency call-out
Nights, weekends and holidays
$120 + hourly
Example prices.
How we price
Small jobs go by the hour. Anything over half a day gets a fixed written price, and that is what you pay unless you change the job.
Materials are listed on the invoice at cost plus 15% (sample).
Licensed electricians, not subcontractors
Everyone who works in your home is on our staff, carries a licence and has done the job before. The same electrician who quotes usually does the work.
Electrical contractor licence
EC 12-0457 (sample)
Liability insurance
$2 million (sample)
Electricians on staff
6 (sample)
Working in Springfield since
2009 (sample)
Where we work
Springfield and the towns within 25 miles: Riverton, Oak Hill, Millbrook, Eastgate and Cedar Falls (sample).
Office, Monday to Friday
07:30–17:00
Saturday jobs
By appointment
Emergency line
24 hours
Hours (sample).
Advice from the van
Planning outlets for a kitchen remodel
Counter outlets, appliance circuits and GFCI protection: what to settle before the cabinets go in.
Moving in? Five electrical checks for the first week
Find the panel, read the directory and test the alarms before the boxes are unpacked.
Questions we hear every week
Do you charge for quotes?
Not in Springfield (sample). Outside the town we charge the first-hour rate, taken off the bill if you go ahead.
Do I need a permit?
New circuits, panel changes, EV chargers and most remodel work need one. We apply for it, and the price includes it.
Can my panel take an EV charger?
Often yes. We add up what is already on the panel (a load calculation) and tell you before you buy a charger.
Will I be without power?
Only on the circuits we work on, usually for an hour or two. A panel upgrade needs the power off for most of one day; we agree the date with you.
Do you work on older homes?
Yes. Knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring, two-prong outlets and old fuse boxes are a large part of our work.