Adding a single outlet can feel like a tiny upgrade, but the moment you touch that receptacle, a major breaker panel rule can kick in. Modern electrical codes treat any extension of a circuit as new ...

Churning with voltage and resembling an explosion at the wire factory, the breaker panel exudes mystique. But it's just a big switch, filled with other smaller ­switches, which lead to the switches ...

Q: Several weeks ago, I read your column about installing electrical wiring. I’m curious about circuit breakers. What is the primary purpose of circuit breakers? Are there different types of breakers?