Why Does My Furnace Use 4 Circuit Breakers?

Circuits

• If you go to your electrical control box and discover that your furnace appears to have four circuit breakers, chances are that the explanation is fairly simple. Many heating and cooling systems work in conjunction with one another and have multiple components. In addition to the main air exchange of the furnace, the furnace also consists of a blower that is responsible for distributing the air throughout the rest of the house. For some systems, a separate circuit breaker may be needed for each component.

Circuit Breakers

• Furnaces sometimes require additional sources of power because they draw on so much electrical power at one time that a traditional single electrical circuit cannot handle the full load. Instead, each component of the system has its own dedicated circuit so that no power drains will occur. If the heating system attempts to draw too much power at one time, it will cause the circuit breaker to trip and cut off the circuit from the electrical supply. This will prevent the entire circuit from having a meltdown and will prevent a potential fire hazard.

Zones

• Some furnaces have multiple heating zones as well, which require additional air distribution units. If your furnace has four circuit breakers, it is possible that this is because you have a high-efficiency system designed to control multiple zones at one time. It could be that you have one or two zones in addition to the main furnace and air distribution system.

Troubleshooting

• If the furnace appears to not be heating your home correctly, you may need to check your circuit breakers to ensure that one of them hasn't stopped working altogether. If one of your blowers has stopped working in conjunction with the rest of the other blowers or the furnace itself, you may just need to flip the breaker back on. If the problem still persists you may need to call in an electrician to ensure that the wiring and circuit is working correctly.