Breaker and GFCI trip safety decision tree

Stop before resetting

If any item below is true, do not reset the device. Leave the circuit off and call a licensed electrician or emergency service as appropriate.

Burning smell, smoke, sparks, scorch marks, or melted plastic.
Buzzing, crackling, or arcing from a panel, outlet, switch, cord, or appliance.
Water intrusion, damp electrical equipment, outdoor equipment after rain, or standing water nearby.
A breaker or outlet feels hot.
A breaker trips immediately after reset.
The same breaker has tripped more than once after a reset.
Medical equipment, refrigeration, sump pump, heat, or other critical loads are affected.
The panel is damaged, very old, unlabeled, or unfamiliar.

Device	Visible clues	Notes
Standard breaker	Handle only, usually no test button	Records overload or fault symptoms, not a diagnosis.
GFCI breaker	Test button on breaker, often marked GFCI	Often protects wet or outdoor areas.
AFCI breaker	Test button on breaker, often marked AFCI	Often protects living areas and sleeping areas.
Dual-function breaker	Test button, marked GFCI/AFCI or dual function	Trips can involve ground-fault or arc-fault conditions.
GFCI receptacle	Outlet with test and reset buttons	May protect downstream outlets.
Unknown	Label is unclear or missing	Do not guess inside the panel; document what is visible.

Question	Answer
Which device tripped?	Breaker / GFCI breaker / AFCI breaker / dual function / GFCI receptacle / unknown
Circuit label if visible
When does it trip?	Immediately / after minutes / when appliance starts / during rain / randomly / after remodel
What area loses power?
What was running?
Was anything recently added or moved?
Any weather, moisture, or cleaning nearby?

List only what you can see without opening equipment.

Device or load	Location	Approximate watts/amps if on label	Running when trip happened?	Notes
Space heater or portable AC
Microwave, toaster, or coffee maker
Refrigerator or freezer
Sump pump or outdoor equipment
Power strip or extension cord
Lighting, fan, or smart device

Leave the circuit off if any stop condition is present.
If no stop condition is present and the device has not repeatedly tripped, note what was running before one reset attempt.
Unplug portable loads only if plugs and cords are dry, undamaged, and safely reachable.
Do not remove receptacle, switch, fixture, or panel covers.
Photograph labels, device buttons, and visible damaged equipment from a safe distance.
Call a licensed electrician if the device trips again, if the cause is unclear, or if the affected circuit serves critical equipment.

Pattern	Safer next step
Burning, heat, buzzing, sparks, water, scorch marks, or repeated immediate trips	Leave off and call promptly. Treat as urgent.
Trips when a high-wattage portable load runs with other devices	Leave heavy loads unplugged and ask an electrician about circuit capacity.
GFCI trips during rain, after cleaning, or near wet equipment	Leave off until wet-location equipment is inspected.
AFCI trips when a device starts or a cord is moved	Stop using the suspect device or cord and document the pattern.
Unknown device type or unlabeled panel	Do not experiment. Use the handoff checklist and call a licensed electrician.

Circuit label and breaker rating if visible.
Whether it is a breaker, GFCI breaker, AFCI breaker, dual-function breaker, or GFCI receptacle.
Date, time, weather, and what was running.
Photos of the device without opening equipment.
Any recent electrical work, remodeling, water leak, appliance change, or storm.
Whether one safe reset was attempted and what happened afterward.