Double tapped circuit breakers are one of the most common electrical defects that home inspectors find when doing inspections. They are also one of the easiest electrical defects to fix.
Double tapping is only okay when the circuit breaker is designed to hold two wires in place. It is not okay when the two wires are going into a circuit breaker that is only designed to hold one wire. The problem with putting two wires in a circuit breaker designed to hold one is that the wires could come loose at some point, even if they feel very tight. Loose wires can lead to overheating, arcing, and possible fire.
Possible fixes:
1. The most common and easiest fix is to pigtail. This is when you wire nut the two wires with a single wire that will go into the circuit breaker.
2. Purchase a different circuit breaker that is designed to hold two wires as long as your electrical panel is designed to hold that type of breaker.
3. Add a circuit breaker if there is room in the panel. Another breaker can be added and the wires split off into two differet breakers.
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