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How can I detect a dead short in my house's wiring?
My circuit breaker keeps tripping and I’m worried that I might have a dead short somewhere in my house’s wiring. How can I find a dead short in my house?
Patrick Price · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Oh no! A dead short is a serious problem, and a tripped breaker can definitely be a sign that you have one.
To detect a dead short in your house’s wiring, you’ll need to test the wires with a multimeter. If you get a reading of 0 ohms, then you have a dead short.
A dead short is when electricity is running along a path with no resistance, usually because the wiring has come into contact with a conductive material not intended to carry an electric current.
Electricity flows to the path of least resistance. If it is running through a path with no resistance at all, none of the electricity will reach its intended destination and you’ll get 0 volts. This means that outlets won’t have any power.
More importantly, it means the electricity is running through a surface it shouldn’t be, which can be dangerous.
Often, it will be pretty obvious when a dead short is present because it will cause a shower of sparks. There will likely be scoring and burns around the site of the short. Test suspected areas with a multimeter to be sure. If you get a reading of 0 ohms, it means you have a dead short.
As a dead short can be dangerous, it is generally a bad idea to try fixing it yourself. The best thing to do is contact a trained electrician to resolve the situation.
If the cause of your dead short is a covered peril, then the cost of repairing it may be covered by homeowners insurance. Make sure that you are protected from other hazards with quality home insurance.
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