Do not switch off and on the main breaker in your electrical panel without first switching off branch circuit breakers in the rest of the panel.
Only switching off and on the main breaker can cause a power surge with bad consequences. Please follow the step-by-step process below to ensure a proper breaker shutdown.
- First, locate the main electrical panel in your home.
- Secondly, turn OFF all branch circuit breakers (NOT the main breaker). This ensures the main breaker is cycled properly before turned off.
- Once the branch circuit breakers have been turned off, turn off your main breaker (usually a pair) to the OFF position.
When it’s time to turn power back on, turn on your main breaker first, then turn on individual circuit breakers.
