How to Fix a Stove That Keeps Tripping the Circuit Breaker

You’re in the middle of preparing dinner, the stovetop is on, and suddenly—click—everything goes dark and silent. Your stove has tripped the circuit breaker again. It’s a frustrating and surprisingly common problem that can bring your kitchen to a complete halt. Not only is it inconvenient, but it can also be a sign of a serious electrical issue.

The good news is that you can often get to the bottom of the problem yourself with a bit of systematic troubleshooting. A stove that keeps tripping the breaker is usually caused by one of a few common culprits: an overloaded circuit, a faulty component in the stove, or a weak circuit breaker.

Here at Casa, we believe in empowering you to handle home maintenance with confidence. We’ll walk you through this issue just like we were on the phone with you, starting with critical safety checks and moving through the diagnostic steps for both electric and gas stoves. Let's figure this out together and get your kitchen back up and running.

Safety First: What to Do Immediately When Your Stove Trips the Breaker

Before we dive into any troubleshooting, we need to talk about safety. Electrical issues are not something to take lightly. Any time a circuit breaker trips, it's doing its job by protecting your home from a potential fire hazard. The first thing you need to do is a quick safety assessment.

Follow these steps before you do anything else:

1. Go to your circuit breaker panel. Locate the breaker that controls your stove. It should be in the "tripped" position (usually halfway between ON and OFF) or fully in the OFF position.
2. Move the breaker to the full OFF position. This ensures the circuit is completely de-energized.
3. Perform a sensory check. This is crucial. Cautiously use the back of your hand to touch the metal cover of the breaker panel. Does it feel unusually warm or hot to the touch? Now, lean in and sniff around the panel. Do you smell anything like burning plastic, ozone, or smoke?
4. Check the stove outlet. Go back to your kitchen and carefully sniff around the large outlet where your stove is plugged in. Do you smell any burning odors there?
5. Look for visual signs. Use a flashlight to inspect the breaker and the area around it in the panel. Do you see any black scorch marks, discoloration, or melted plastic?

If you answered YES to any of these checks—if you feel excessive heat, smell burning, or see scorch marks—STOP immediately. Do not attempt to reset the breaker or troubleshoot further. Call a licensed electrician right away. These are signs of a dangerous electrical fault that requires professional attention.

If everything seems normal, you can proceed with the troubleshooting steps below.

Common Culprits: Why Your Stove Is Tripping the Breaker

Understanding what might be wrong is the first step toward fixing it. Here are the most frequent reasons a stove will trip a circuit breaker:

• Overloaded Circuit: This is one of the most common issues. Electric stoves, in particular, are power-hungry appliances and require a dedicated circuit. If you have other high-draw appliances (like a microwave, toaster oven, or air fryer) plugged into the same circuit, turning on the stove can demand more power than the circuit can safely provide, causing the breaker to trip.
• Faulty Heating Element (Electric Stoves): Over time, the heating elements on your stovetop or inside your oven can wear out and develop a short. When electricity takes an unintended path to the ground (a "short circuit"), it creates a massive power surge that instantly trips the breaker to prevent damage.
• Damaged Wiring: The issue could be in the stove's power cord, the wall outlet, or the wiring connecting the outlet to the breaker panel. Frayed, loose, or damaged wires can cause shorts or power surges.
• Failing Circuit Breaker: Circuit breakers aren't infallible. They can weaken and fail over time, becoming overly sensitive. A faulty breaker might trip even under a normal electrical load. Telltale signs include a breaker that feels hot to the touch or makes a buzzing sound.
• Ignition System Fault (Gas Stoves): While gas stoves use natural gas for heat, their igniters and control panels are electric. A fault in the spark module or igniter wiring can create a short circuit when you try to light a burner, tripping the breaker.

Step-by-Step Guide to Diagnosing Your Stove

Now, let's get hands-on and figure out what’s causing your issue.

Step 1: Is Your Stove Electric or Gas?

This is the first fork in the road, as the electrical systems and potential problems are quite different. If you're not sure, here’s how to tell:

• Look for a Gas Line: Carefully pull your stove away from the wall a few inches. Do you see a flexible, often yellow or black, hose or a rigid metal pipe connected to the back? That's a gas line, meaning you have a gas stove.
• Check the Burners: Electric stoves typically have either smooth glass-ceramic cooktops or visible metal coil heating elements. Gas stoves have grates over open burners with a small igniter point.
• Find the Rating Plate: Look for a metal plate or sticker on the back of the stove, inside the storage drawer, or on the frame of the door. It will list the unit's electrical requirements. An electric stove will be rated for "220-240V," while a gas stove will be rated for a standard "110-120V" to power its electronics.

Once you know your stove type, follow the appropriate path below.

Step 2A: Troubleshooting an Electric Stove

If you've determined you have an electric stove, let’s isolate the problem.

1. Rule Out an Overloaded Circuit: Is anything else plugged into outlets near the stove? Even if they're not on the same visible outlet, they could be on the same circuit. Unplug everything else on that circuit (microwaves, coffee makers, etc.). Now, go reset the breaker (push it firmly to OFF, then to ON). Try turning on just one stove heating element to LOW. If the breaker holds, you've found your problem: the circuit was overloaded. The long-term solution is to keep your stove on its own dedicated circuit. If it still trips, move to the next step.

2. Test for a Faulty Heating Element: A bad element is a very common culprit. We can test this by isolating each one.

   • Make sure the circuit breaker is OFF.
   • Remove all but one of the coil heating elements from the stovetop. (If you have a glass top, you'll need to skip this and call a pro, as the elements are internal).
   • Turn the breaker back ON.
   • Turn on the burner that still has an element connected.
   • If the breaker holds, that element is likely fine.
   • Turn the breaker OFF again. Swap that element with another one from your stove and repeat the test.
   • Continue this process until you test all the elements. If the breaker trips as soon as you turn on a specific element, you have found the faulty part. Replacing a heating element is an affordable and straightforward DIY fix.

If the breaker trips no matter which element is connected, or even with no elements connected, the problem lies elsewhere.

3. Check the Breaker Itself: If you've ruled out an overloaded circuit and a bad element, the breaker might be the issue. With the breaker ON, listen closely to it. Do you hear a buzzing sound? Does it feel warm? If so, the breaker itself has likely failed and needs to be replaced by a licensed electrician.

If you’ve completed these steps and the breaker still trips, the fault is likely internal to the stove’s wiring or controls. At this point, it's time to call an appliance repair technician.

Step 2B: Troubleshooting a Gas Stove

Even though it cooks with gas, your stove’s igniters and controls need electricity.

1. Rule Out an Overloaded Circuit: Just like with an electric stove, check if other appliances are sharing the circuit. Unplug them, reset the breaker, and try to light one of the burners. If the breaker holds, you need to dedicate that circuit to the stove. If it still trips when the igniters start clicking, continue troubleshooting.

2. Check the Breaker Itself: Listen for buzzing or feel for heat at the breaker panel, as described above. If you notice these signs, the breaker is likely faulty and needs an electrician to replace it.

3. Clean the Burner Igniters: Spills, food debris, or even moisture from cleaning can get down into the burner assembly and cause a short in the igniter.

   • Turn the circuit breaker OFF.
   • Remove the metal burner caps and burner heads.
   • You’ll see a small ceramic nub—that’s the igniter. Use a small, dry brush (like an old toothbrush) to gently clean around each igniter, removing any gunk or debris.
   • Use a paper towel to ensure the area is completely dry.
   • Reassemble the burners, turn the breaker back ON, and try lighting them again.

Often, this simple cleaning is all that’s needed. If the breaker holds, you've fixed it! If it still trips, the problem is likely a faulty spark module (the component that sends voltage to all the igniters). Replacing this part is a job for an appliance repair technician.

Knowing When to Call a Professional

DIY troubleshooting is great, but it's essential to know your limits. Here’s a simple breakdown of who to call:

• Call a Licensed Electrician if:

  • You see/smell burning at the panel or outlet.
  • The circuit breaker is hot, buzzing, or won't reset.
  • You suspect the problem is with your home's wiring or the outlet.

• Call an Appliance Repair Technician if:

  • You suspect an internal stove fault (e.g., a bad control board, faulty internal wiring, or a bad spark module on a gas stove).
  • Your electric stove has a glass top, and you suspect a faulty element.
  • You've tried the DIY steps and can't solve the problem.

According to data from HomeAdvisor, hiring an electrician for a diagnosis and simple repair like replacing a circuit breaker typically costs between $100 and $300. An appliance repair visit will likely have a diagnostic fee of around $75 to $150, with the final cost depending on the parts and labor needed for the repair.

Your Partner in Home Maintenance

Fixing a stove that trips a circuit breaker can feel daunting, but by following these steps, you can safely identify the source of the problem. Whether it's a simple fix like clearing a circuit or a more involved repair, you now have the knowledge to move forward confidently.

For more expert guides, personalized maintenance reminders, and a direct line to vetted professionals in your area, download the Casa app today. We're here to help you tackle any home challenge, big or small, and keep your home running smoothly.