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What Do The Numbers On My Breakers Mean?

If you open your main electrical panel, you’ll see labels on your breakers with different numbers. It could be a 15, a 20, or even up to a 60. Do you know what those numbers are for? If not, you aren’t alone.

In this post, we’ll tell you what they mean and why they’re important. Then we’ll go over what your breakers are for. Because unlike a lot of people think, they aren’t there to protect you.

What do the Numbers Mean?

The numbers on your breaker are there to tell you much power they let through the circuit before it trips. Electricians measure that power in amps. So, a breaker labeled with a 15 will let 15 amps through but will shut the circuit off if it senses 16 amps.

Your breakers work like this as a safety measure. But instead of protecting you, it’s meant to protect the wiring in your walls. A bigger wire can handle more power running through it than a smaller one. So your breakers cut the power to the circuit if they sense more power than the wire should hold.

What Happens if the Ratings Don’t Match?

If a circuit is pushing more power through a wire than it’s rated for, that wire can start to heat up. If it heats up enough, it’ll start to degrade. That can cause shorts, wires fusing together, or even a fire.

Your breakers are there to stop that from happening. They shut the circuit down if they sense too much power to prevent the wires from overheating. If a breaker allows an amperage that's too high, it won’t trip when it should. That can mean a fire hazard that you don’t even know about.

Is It A Bad Thing When My Breaker Trips?

The breaker tripping is often a good thing because it’s doing its job to warn you of something else. And if you know what’s causing the problem, you can address it. For example, modern kitchens use a lot more electricity than they used to. But an older home may be running your microwave on the same circuit as the plug for your blender. If you try to run them at the same time, you might trip the breaker. Now you know to run one appliance at a time.

The real problems come up if you don’t know why the breaker is tripping or if it stops tripping when it used to. If your breakers aren’t tripping when they should, they aren’t protecting your wires. Those wires will continue to heat until something melts or burns. And if the breaker trips again right after you reset it, then it’s still sensing too much power. That could mean a short circuit hiding in your walls.

What Do I Do If My Breaker Keeps Tripping?

The first thing is to check how many things you’re running on one circuit at the same time. That way you can figure out if that circuit is trying to power more things than it should. If it is, you can adjust where you plug things in or stagger when you run appliances. You can even have an electrician add new circuits to your system if you need. If you can’t find a cause, you should call an electrician you trust to inspect your breaker panel.

One thing you shouldn’t do is switch out a breaker for one with a higher rating. Doing that means your breaker won’t trip when it should. That can cause your wires to overheat and risk a fire. If someone did this in the past, you may notice your breaker panel is warmer than room temperature. You should call an electrician to check it out as soon as you can.

If you’re having issues with your breakers, Any Hour Services would be happy to help. We have licensed electricians that can work with you to figure out your situation. You can give us a call or schedule an appointment online.
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Logo for Any Hour Electric, Plumbing, Heating & Air featuring a smiling technician with crossed arms, a stopwatch, and a bold, professional tone.

Any Hour Services

1374 West 130 South, Orem, UT 84058

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© 2024 Any Hour Services LLC

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Our pricing is fair and transparent. We use a fixed-price guide that reflects the time, materials, and real costs of running a dependable home services business. No hourly rates. No inflated prices based on where you live. We focus on what it takes to get the job done—not on how much we can charge.

Before we price your drains or excavation project, our expert technician will perform an in-home assessment to evaluate the tasks required. We only charge for what’s necessary—no fluff, no extra costs. This allows us to pinpoint areas where we can save you money without sacrificing quality.

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A: We price the job—not the clock. Hourly rates can be unpredictable, leaving you unsure of the final cost until the job is done. We believe in upfront, fixed pricing based on the work itself—not guesswork. You won’t pay for delays or mistakes, and we hold ourselves accountable to ensure there are no surprises.

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We prefer to price based on the job and not what other companies charge. Hourly rates can lead to unexpected costs for homeowners, making the final price unpredictable. By pricing the work itself, we make sure you’re only paying for what’s actually needed—keeping things fair and efficient.

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Requesting a quote is simple. Contact Any Hour Services, and we will assess your needs, providing a transparent estimate for the repairs.

We also provide FREE estimates and second opinions for major plumbing and excavation projects like repiping, sewer or water line replacements, remodels, and outdoor drain installs. Our team will evaluate the job in person, explain your options, and give you clear, upfront pricing. No hourly rates. No surprises. Just honest answers and expert service.

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Yes, you can request a quote online—our team at Any Hour Services responds promptly to every inquiry.

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We offer a $29 Drain Clear for single, easy-access drains. A licensed plumber will inspect the issue, clear out buildup like grease or debris, and get things flowing again. It’s a simple, affordable way to fix slow drains and help protect your plumbing from bigger problems down the line.

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Yes, we provide FREE estimates for sewer main line replacements. If you are looking to replace your sewer main line, one of our expert technicians will come to your home and inspect your sewer main line, before showing you your options. Call us if you have questions about replacing your sewer main line—we’re here to help!

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You can pay for your service with cash, check, or any major credit card. We collect, in full, upon completion of the project. If you would like to make monthly payments, we have many financing options available through 3rd party finance companies (On Approved Credit). Your technician can talk to you about your options when they give you pricing options for the work you want done.

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Our phone staff are not expert technicians, so they can’t quote prices that would be accurate to your project’s needs. A trained technician needs to see the job firsthand to give you a clear, upfront price. Quotes over the phone are a guess, and we prefer transparency over uncertainty.

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Ballpark prices can be misleading. Until we see the job, we can’t quote your final estimate accurately. Other companies may give an estimate range, but that often leads to additional costs and surprises later. Instead, we focus on giving you a fair price once a trained technician can assess the job properly.

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A: We have a small dispatch fee to send our technician to your home. They’ll arrive in a truck stocked with thousands of parts, ready to complete most jobs the same day. After a thorough evaluation, your technician will explain the issue, walk you through the recommended fix, and show you your options and final price. No hourly rates. No surprises. Just a clear, upfront price before any work begins.

Call Now

Pricing FAQ

A:

Our pricing is fair and transparent. We use a fixed-price guide that reflects the time, materials, and real costs of running a dependable home services business. No hourly rates. No inflated prices based on where you live. We focus on what it takes to get the job done—not on how much we can charge.

Before we price your plumbing job, our licensed plumber will perform an in-home assessment to evaluate the tasks required. We only charge for what’s necessary—no fluff, no extra costs. This allows us to pinpoint areas where we can save you money without sacrificing quality.

Call Now

A:

We price the job—not the clock. Hourly rates can be unpredictable, leaving you unsure of the final cost until the job is done. We believe in upfront, fixed pricing based on the work itself—not guesswork. You won’t pay for delays or mistakes, and we hold ourselves accountable to ensure there are no surprises.

Call Now

A:

We prefer to price based on the job and not what other companies charge. Hourly rates can lead to unexpected costs for homeowners, making the final price unpredictable. By pricing the work itself, we make sure you’re only paying for what’s actually needed—keeping things fair and efficient.

Call Now

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Water heater replacements vary. Often, older units require updates to meet safety standards. Common items missing from many water heaters are flexible gas lines, expansion tanks, earthquake straps, gas sediment trap, upgrade exhaust venting, etc.

For an accurate quote, one of our licensed plumbers will inspect your existing system and provide a FREE estimate.

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A:

Our phone staff are not licensed plumbers, so they can’t quote prices that would be accurate to your project’s needs. A trained plumber needs to see the job firsthand to give you a clear, upfront price. Quotes over the phone are a guess, and we prefer transparency over uncertainty.

Call Now

A:

Ballpark prices can be misleading. Until we see the job, we can’t quote your final estimate accurately. Other companies may give an estimate range, but that often leads to additional costs and surprises later. Instead, we focus on giving you a fair price once a licensed plumber can assess the job properly.

Call Now

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We have a small dispatch fee to send our plumber to your home. They’ll arrive in a truck stocked with thousands of parts, ready to complete most jobs the same day. After a thorough evaluation, your plumber will explain the issue, walk you through the recommended fix, and show you your options and final price. No hourly rates. No surprises. Just a clear, upfront price before any work begins.

Call Now

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Yes! We offer FREE in-home estimates for major projects like water heater installations, water softeners, and repiping—without any dispatch fee. Our licensed plumber will assess the job, explain your options, and provide a clear, fixed price. No surprises or hourly rates—just honest, reliable service. Schedule your FREE estimate today!

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No, our plumbers don’t quote a price until they have seen your plumbing project. Once they quote a price, it doesn’t change, no matter how long it takes. At any time, if you want to add more tasks to your plumbing project, your plumber will let you know how much it would cost to perform the extra work.

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You can pay for your plumbing service with cash, check, or any major credit card. We collect, in full, upon completion of the project. If you would like to make monthly payments, we do have many financing options available through 3rd party finance companies, OAC. Your plumber can talk to you about your options when they give you pricing options for the work you want completed.

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