Article: Before doing any work on a circuit breaker or in the breaker box, make sure you have turned off all the power going to it. If you have a main box and other branch boxes around your home, turn off the power to the branch box at the main box first. Otherwise, just turn off the main power followed by all breakers.  Even once you have turned the power off, you should act as if it’s still on. Only touch the parts of the circuit breaker box you need to touch. If you are turning off the main power, or the power to the area around you, the lights will likely turn off as well. Keep an alternative light source nearby so you don’t have to work in the dark. While the circuit breaker box will allow you to switch breakers on and off, this will not give you access to the entire circuit breaker. Find the screws in each corner of the breaker box and carefully remove them to free the faceplate. Holding the edges, lift the faceplate directly away from the breaker box before lowering it.  Always remove the panel by pulling it towards you and then sliding it down. Don’t let it touch or bump anything inside the circuit breaker box as you are removing it. Put the screws and the faceplate somewhere you can easily find them when needed. While the screws can be replaced, it’s much easier to keep them in a safe place while they’re not attached to the breaker box. Before you touch anything inside the panel of the breaker box, look for signs of damage. If you see anything that seems unsafe or out of the ordinary, stop immediately and call a licensed electrician. Keep an eye out for any rust, moisture, signs of pests, loose wires, melting, discoloration, charring, heat marking, strange wiring, multiple wires connected to one screw, damaged wiring, debris, or multiple colored wires connected to each other. These can all be dangerous. When touching items inside the circuit breaker box, always be careful to only touch the components you need to. With a firm grip, grasp the defective circuit breaker. Start lifting the side that faces towards the center of the panel, with the aim of pivoting it up and out from the breaker panel. Once it is free, unhook it from the hinge on the edge of the panel and pull the breaker free. The wire connected to the circuit breaker will be held in by a flathead screw on one side. Use a flat-head screwdriver to loosen this screw slightly, without unscrewing and removing it completely. Separate the wire from the circuit breaker once the screw is loose enough. Always keep track of loose wires, as they can be incredibly dangerous. Tuck the wire into the circuit breaker box to keep it out of the way. Make sure you know which wire you have disconnected, as you’ll need to reconnect it when you install a new circuit breaker. The circuit breaker replacement will need to be the exact same type as the faulty one you remove. Take note of the amperage of the fault breaker, as well as any codes or numbers written elsewhere on it. While a circuit breaker may feel heavy, there is very little value to any of its components. You can throw circuit breakers away with your regular trash, as they are inert without a power supply.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Turn off all power and all individual breakers. Unscrew and remove the faceplate. Inspect the interior of the panel for damage or discoloration. Pull out the faulty breaker. Disconnect the wire on the circuit breaker. Note the exact amperage and type of the circuit breaker. Dispose of the faulty circuit breaker.