A gas furnace still runs on electricity: the controls, the igniter and the fan motors all need power. If the furnace breaker trips once, reset it one time. If it trips again, leave it off. Something in the furnace, usually a motor, its capacitor or a wire, is drawing more current than it should, and resetting it again and again can damage parts or overheat wiring.
Reset It Once
- Set the thermostat to off.
- At the panel, find the breaker labelled furnace. Push it fully to off, then back to on.
- Turn the thermostat back up and watch the next start.
- If the breaker trips again, leave it off and call.
Note When It Trips
| When it trips | What it often points to |
|---|---|
| As soon as you turn it on | A short in the wiring or a component |
| When the fan starts | The blower motor or its capacitor |
| A minute into the start, before the flame | The inducer motor or the igniter circuit |
| After running a while | A motor overheating as it works |
| Along with a burning or electrical smell | An overheating part. Leave it off. See furnace burning smell. |
Tell David exactly when it trips and anything you heard (humming, clicking) or smelled. That often points to the part before he opens the furnace. See blower motor problems and inducer motor problems.
Other Things That Trip It
- A shared circuit. If something else on the same breaker (a space heater, a dehumidifier) runs at the same time, the circuit can overload.
- A condensate pump plugged into a nearby outlet on the same circuit.
- Water. A leaking drain can drip onto the electrical parts. See furnace leaking water.
- A weak breaker. Breakers can wear out, but that’s for an electrician to confirm after the furnace has been checked.
What Not to Do
- Don’t keep resetting the breaker.
- Don’t swap it for a bigger breaker. That removes the protection for the wiring.
- Don’t take the furnace panels off with the power on.
Questions About A Furnace Tripping the Breaker
Why does my furnace keep tripping the breaker?
Usually a motor, its capacitor or a wire inside the furnace is drawing too much current. A shared circuit, a condensate pump or water on the electrical parts can also cause it.
Is it safe to keep resetting the furnace breaker?
Reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call. Repeated resets can damage parts or overheat wiring.
Does a gas furnace need electricity?
Yes. The controls, igniter, inducer and blower all need power, so a tripped breaker stops the furnace even though it burns gas.
Should I install a bigger breaker?
No. The breaker is sized to protect the wiring. The fault is in what the breaker is protecting, and that needs to be found.
Talk to David
Breaker tripped twice? Leave it off and call. Tell David when it trips and anything you heard or smelled.
SkyLimit Heating & Gas is owner-operated. David answers the phone, does the work and gives you the price before he starts. Parts we supply carry a 1-year parts and labour guarantee. We work across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 9 PM, and don’t run a 24-hour line.
Call 778-892-5119 or request service online. Find your city in the furnace services directory.
Sources
Published by SkyLimit Heating & Gas. Updated . General homeowner information; gas, electrical and combustion work inside the furnace needs a licensed gas fitter.
FOLLOW SKYLIMIT IN GOOGLE
Make SkyLimit a Preferred Source
Add SkyLimit as a Preferred Source so Google can highlight our BC gas-fireplace and HVAC guidance more often for you in Top Stories, AI Overviews and AI Mode.
If the button does not load, open Google Preferred Sources settings.