Electrical Circuit Breakers: Powering Safety

Electrical circuit breakers are vital components in any home’s electrical system. They protect your home from electrical overloads and short circuits, ensuring that your appliances and wiring remain safe. Understanding how these devices work and why they matter can help you make better choices. This is useful during home improvements, remodels, or regular maintenance.

circuit breaker
Dollens Electric
Excellent
4.7
Based on 116 reviews
review us on
Very thorough and informative whole house fan, chandelier and kitchen hood thru roof job. Josh explained in details and provided suggestions to protect my old circuits also.
Wanted to replace very old track lighting in living room with can lights. Submitted an estimate request on a Sunday night, Jason came out first thing Monday morning to check out the project and provided a timely and reasonable estimate later that day and followed up with a phone call. Work was completed today, one week later! Josh, Elijah, and Ricky were respectful of our home, took great care to keep things clean and were very pleasant. I don't know why we put this project off for so long! We finally have decent lighting in our living room! Will definitely use Dollens Electric for any future home projects/maintenance!
Response from the owner: Thanks for the review Katie! It was a pleasure to work with you as well!
Response from the owner: Thank you for your kind rating, Renee! We are thrilled to hear about your positive experience with Dollens Electric. If you ever need assistance with anything electrical in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Punctual and thorough service with helpful future maintenance ideas.?
Response from the owner: Thank you for your feedback, We are always here to provide helpful maintenance ideas for the future. Your satisfaction is our priority!
I highly recommend Dollen Electric. I called two other electricians and left a message to call back. They never did. However, Dolan Electric immediately...
Trustworthy very much describes Dollens Electric. Jason and his team including Josh and Elijah are reliable, honest, and efficient. I have used Dollens for major and small jobs and they stand by their work and rightfully so. Don't be fooled by cheap quotes that lure you in with the thought of getting major work done for a cheap cheap price. You get what you pay for and with Dollens, you get a great job for a fair price. Dollens is my go-to electrician.
Response from the owner: Thank you for your kind words! We are delighted to hear about your positive experience with our team at Dollens Electric. We take pride in being reliable, honest, and efficient in every job, big or small. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we appreciate your trust in us. We look forward to serving you again in the future.
Trustworthy very much describes Dollens Electric. Jason and his team including Josh and Elijah are reliable, honest, and efficient. I have used Dollens for...
Response from the owner: Thank you so much for the 5-star rating! We are glad to hear that you had a positive experience with our services. If you have any electrical needs in the future, feel free to reach out to us.
Very professional and friendly.
This guys are great! I got some problems with my electric and called them, they just led me do something with it, figured out my problem just a minute, I didn’t spend anything, thanks
Response from the owner: Dear Aximu Aierken, Thank you for your kind words! We're glad to hear that you had a great experience with us. Our team at Dollens Electric is always ready to help with any electrical problems. If you ever need assistance in the future, don't hesitate to give us a call. Thanks again!
Response from the owner: Thank you so much for your positive rating! We appreciate your support and we're glad that you had a great experience with Dollens Electric. If you have any electrical needs in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're always here to help!
Knowledgeable, effective, and efficient !!Excellent communication and professional!Highly recommend!Jason seemed to know the possible cause for the problem when I told him that the parts of the house were losing power gradually, and he was right!! He came out on the same day and fixed the problem (burnt crimp in junction box in the garage) within an hour!! Excellent!
Response from the owner: Thank you for your kind words! We are glad to hear that you had a positive experience with our services. Our team at Dollens Electric strives to provide knowledgeable, effective, and efficient service. We are glad that Jason was able to identify and fix the problem promptly. If you have any further electrical needs, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Great service -- all of the above
Response from the owner: Thank you for your review! We are thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with our service. Your satisfaction is our top priority! If you have any further questions or need assistance in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Prompt, and they explained everything in detail
Response from the owner: Thank you for your kind words! We take pride in our prompt service and strive to ensure that our customers fully understand the work being done. We appreciate your feedback and hope you will reach out with any future electrical needs.
Thank You , Jason & Joshua for your professional electrical service for replacing my outdated challenger electrical panel ! Just wanna let everyone know ,...
I have been using Dollens for all my electric work (both repair and installation) in my house for over five years. They work well and quickly, offer...
I have used Dollens for a few projects. The staff is excellent. Always on time and accommodating. The work is perfect. I would trust Dollens Electric for any electrical project.
Response from the owner: Thank you for your kind words, Farah! We are delighted to hear that you have had a positive experience with Dollens Electric. Our team takes great pride in providing excellent service and being punctual and accommodating. We appreciate your trust in us for your electrical projects.
Great experiece with Dollens knowledgeable professionals !
They went above board to make sure every thing was done to perfection !
Professional, fair pricing, and stayed late to get complete the job. Excellent workmanship and could not recommend more.
These guys are great. Had power fail at one of our outbuildings; they offered to come fix it on Xmas eve but I said after Christmas was fine. They came out on time, got it fixed, all good. Highly recommended!
Excellent service & very competitive pricing. Would definitely use Dollens again & recommend them to others.
Excellent service with courteous and knowledgeable men
They have helped us a couple of times now. Will continue to use them going forward.
I apologize for leaving a 1 star review earlier. I wanted to leave a review for another electrician service with similar name.
Response from the owner: I apologize for your poor experience. But I believe you maybe confusing us with another company. We have not provided an estimate or service to Ben Yu.
The guys who came out listened to what I wanted to get done and got right on it. I’m very pleased with their work. More business to come!
Very pleasant and professional, but very expensive for 20 minutes of work.
Dollens Electric is exceptional. They give an accurate read on what needsto be done. They are a safety-first companythat shows up energetic & work...
Amazing experience with Jason! Prompt, quick, and knowledgeable. He helped me resolve an electrical issue within minutes! If I ever need help in the future, he’ll be the first person I call!
Very easy to work with. Good suggestions were offered. Work is always first-rate.
Josh & Elijah did excellent work in replacing our electric panel. They were polite, professional & answered any questions I had. The work area was cleaned after they left. They even cleaned out my rain gutter & spout - above & beyond service!!
Josh & Elijah replaced our electrical panel. They were both professional & answered any questions I had. Their work area was cleaned after they were done....
Arrived on time and very capable with the installation and fixes
Response from the owner: Thank You Trajan Market. Working with you guys was great. We look forward to the next project.
Dollen's Electric are our one-stop shop for anything electrical! Great family business! Give them yours!
Response from the owner: Stacie, Thank You. We appreciate your support and great review. You're awesome.
We recently bought a vehicle and I contacted Jason and he came right away. The next day his son Josh, cousin Elijah, and their friend came by to install our 240 volt outlet with precision and quality. I would go to them again.
Response from the owner: Thank you. We are so glad you are happy with our work. We really appreciate the review.
Highly efficient service. Provided the best solution to charge our new Tesla avoiding purchase of a costly charger. Installed a 50amp line and outlet. Highly recommended.
Response from the owner: Thanks Joel! You guys enjoy that new car!
We had a great experience with Dollens Electric—they helped us replace old wiring, install new outlets, and install bathroom fans in our home (including adding the vents through the roof). They were very personable and easy to talk to, and it was easy to see that they put a lot of care into their work. We're looking forward to working with them again soon!
The work was completed as contracted. They were very professional nice.
They are simply the best. Polite, on time, communicative, and always ready to help with even mundane concerns. I’ll never use another electrician. Jason and his team are the gold standard.
Response from the owner: Thank you so much James. It is always a pleasure.
Dollens Electric has helped me on several occasions. I highly recommend them.
Response from the owner: It was good to see you again! You are very nice and easy to work for. I hope you get to see those grandkids soon!
Installed a whole house fan that is quiet and effective. Greatly reduces A/C cost. Workers are fast and efficient and cleaned up 100%. Quality products.
This is the second time we've used Dollens, first being when they upgraded the wiring to the entire house. This time they installed an isolated circuit in our garage and some can lighting. Even though it was a smaller job, they treated it just as importantly as the bigger job.They answered all our questions, let us know and talk through our options and didn't do any additional work without letting us know and approve the price difference for our requests, rather than telling us at the end of the job.A+ work!
Response from the owner: Thanks Mathew. You and your wife were great to work for. I still want to steal your dog!
We had a ceiling fixture out. Jason came on out and diagnosed the problem and got it repaired very promptly. Courteous and friendly.
Response from the owner: Thanks Lynne! It was a pleasure to met you!
Response from the owner: Deepak! Thanks for the review. I got to say you held your cool. It is mid December and we had to replace a major costly piece of your electrical system right before Christmas! Because you were so level headed you made it a pleasure to work for you. Thanks and Happy Hollidays!
Response from the owner: It was a pleasure working for you, Thanks for the review! Josh and Elijah mentioned how smart and energetic your son is almost every time they came back to the shop!
Professional, on time service. High quality work. Definitely will use again.
Response from the owner: Thank you Khanh, I am glad we have such great customers to work with.
Excellent. Whenever I again need electrical assistance Dollens is the one I'll call.
Response from the owner: Thank you Lynn.
Response from the owner: Thank you Denise. It is always a pleasure to work with you.
Update 9/2020 - Upgraded some thermostat wiring for me with a difficult routing. Professional and quick.Update - Jason and Josh again came through for me. In the midst of a heat wave, they were able to come to the other end of the county and fix an electrical problem at my mother's house. Got the outlets for the portable AC and lift chair back working and made the wiring safer to boot.Original - Could not ask for better. Jason installed a new 40 amp circuit and an EVo charger for our car. (No more slow 110 charging. Yeah!) While working in our breaker panel he noted a dangerous situation left by a previous contractor who upgraded our air conditioning.(Side note kind of disappointing the inspector didn't notice that the other contractor put in a bigger breaker on a wire that was too small. Luckily the wire insulation had just started to bubble and it didn't catch fire.)Within a week they were able to fit us in to replace the faulty circuit as well as rewire our garage lighting to eliminate some creative but scary runs of extension cords and re-purposed outlets. Now I have bright lights and when I look up, I don't see wires draped everywhere.We connected with Jason of Dollens Electric through our equally excellent general contractor Dan Mackey. (Who by the way had nothing to do with the faulty circuit or the creative garage lighting.)Lastly a thank you to Jason's son Josh who got to do the crawling under the house.
Response from the owner: We could not ask for better customers. We are looking forward to their next project!!!Thanks Maggie and Jim!!!
Response from the owner: Thank you Dana, we appreciate you and your feed back.
I've had a few projects done by Dollens..would highly recommend them...very trustworthy & professional
Response from the owner: Thanks Cyndie! Call us anytime, you're a great customer! I hope you and your Neighbor Dave's Work we completed last you two a long time! Good Job with the lights BTW.
Jason always does a great job, thanks
Response from the owner: Thank you Lindsay. It’s always great to see you.
I had Dollens come out to bid on installing a standby generator and they were friendly, on time, and professional. They walked me through options, explained what they were looking out and why and asked lots of follow up questions to make sure i was getting a bid for everything i wanted and needed.
These guys are the best. Very knowledgeable when troubleshooting old problems from less capable electricians who were here for prior owners. Installed a new outlet in my hardwood floor that looks beautiful along with solving our "where to put the lamp" problem. Lastly wired up a cat6 network allowing us to move our router/hub into a closet off my desk.Call/use them; you won't be sorry.
On time, explains the work so you will understand what was done and why.
Jason, Josh, and Elijah were prompt, considerate, professional, trustworthy, and kind. The work for our recessed lighting project was done quickly and with care, precision, and high quality. Jason was very thorough in explaining what they had done and why. I would have no reservations with them and highly recommend them!
This company is great. They were always on time and great at communicating both time estimates and costs. They are very thorough, knew current codes inside...
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What Are Electrical Circuit Breakers?

An electrical circuit breaker is a protective apparatus intended to shield an electrical circuit from harm induced by surplus current from an overload or short circuit. Its fundamental role is to halt the flow of current once a fault has been identified.

A fuse works once and needs to be replaced. A circuit breaker can be reset. It can be reset by hand or automatically. This allows it to work again.

Types of Circuit Breakers

  1. Single-Pole Breakers: These are the most common type found in homes and are used for 120-volt circuits. They protect one energized wire and can handle 15 to 20 amps.
  2. Double-Pole Breakers: Used for 240-volt circuits, these breakers protect two energized wires and are commonly used for appliances like water heaters and air conditioners. They can handle 15 to 200 amps.
  3. GFCI Breakers: Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers are designed to protect against electrical shock by breaking the circuit when a ground fault is detected.
  4. AFCI Breakers: Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers protect against electrical fires by detecting and interrupting arcing faults.

Importance of Circuit Breakers in Home Safety

Circuit breakers play a crucial role in safeguarding your home and family.
  • Preventing Electrical Overloads

    An electrical overload occurs when more current flows through a circuit than it can handle. This can cause overheating, which may damage appliances or even start a fire. Circuit breakers automatically cut off the electrical supply to prevent this from happening.

    Protecting Against Short Circuits

    A short circuit occurs when a hot wire comes into contact with a neutral or ground wire, creating a path of least resistance for the electrical current. This can cause a massive surge of electricity, leading to fires or explosions. Circuit breakers detect these faults and immediately cut off the power.

    Enhancing Electrical Safety Compliance

    Adhering to the National Electrical Code (NEC) is essential for electrical safety and legality. Circuit breakers are a fundamental part of meeting these standards, ensuring your home’s wiring systems are up to code and reducing the risk of electrical hazards.

Dedicated Circuits for Appliances

When planning a remodel, especially in areas like the kitchen, it’s essential to consider dedicated circuits for major appliances. Dedicated circuits are designed to handle the specific load of a single appliance, preventing overloads and ensuring efficient operation.

Benefits of Dedicated Circuits
  1. Increased Safety: Reduces the risk of electrical fires caused by overloaded circuits.
  2. Enhanced Performance: Ensures appliances run efficiently without tripping breakers.
  3. Compliance with NEC: Many local codes require dedicated circuits for specific appliances.
Common Appliances Requiring Dedicated Circuits
  • Refrigerators
  • Dishwashers
  • Microwaves
  • Ovens
  • Washers and Dryers
Electrical Considerations for Kitchen Remodels

A kitchen remodel is one of the most significant home improvement projects you can undertake. It’s also one of the areas where electrical upgrades are most needed.

Upgrading Electrical Panels

Older homes often have outdated electrical panels that can’t handle the load of modern appliances. Upgrading your electrical panel during a kitchen remodel ensures you have the capacity for new appliances and additional circuits.

Adding GFCI Outlets

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets are required by the NEC in kitchens to protect against electrical shock. These outlets should be installed near sinks and other areas where water is present.

Planning for Future Needs

Consider your future needs when planning your kitchen remodel. Adding extra circuits and outlets now can save you time and money later if you decide to upgrade your appliances or add new ones.

Finding the Right Electrician

Hiring a professional electrician is important for any electrical work in your home. This is especially true for big projects like a kitchen remodel.

Qualities to Look for in an Electrician

  1. Experience: Look for an electrician with extensive experience in residential electrical work.
  2. Licensing and Certification: Ensure the electrician is licensed and certified according to local regulations.
  3. References and Reviews: Check references and read reviews to gauge the quality of their work.
  4. Clear Communication: Choose an electrician who communicates clearly and provides detailed estimates.

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Hiring a local electrician in San Jose offers several advantages:

  1. Familiarity with Local Codes: Local electricians are well-versed in the specific codes and regulations in your area, ensuring compliance.
  2. Quick Response: Proximity allows for quicker response times, especially in emergencies.
  3. Supporting Local Businesses: Hiring locally supports the community and fosters relationships with local professionals.

Electrical circuit breakers are essential components that protect your home from electrical hazards. Understanding their importance, types, and how to use them effectively can enhance your home’s safety and efficiency.

If you are planning a kitchen remodel or upgrading your electrical system, hire a professional electrician, to ensure your home meets safety standards. As well as keeping your home secure and comfortable to live in. By following these guidelines, you can achieve your home improvement goals while preserving the architectural integrity of your home.

Dollens Electric at 

(408)929-6100

We accept most major forms of credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard.

3-year parts warranty and a lifetime warranty on craftsmanship.