GFCI receptacles are important, so important that the sale of our home was held up until we replaced some of our electrical receptacles with GFIs. What’s the most important thing about GFI receptacles? They can -- and do -- save lives.
Find out more about why and where you need GFI receptacles in your household.
What is a GFCI Receptacle?
Short for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, a GFCI, is a type of electrical receptacle designed to protect you and your family against electrical shock, fire, and/or fatal electrocution. Your GFCI receptacle monitors the flow of current. If it detects a ground fault -- an unintentional electrical path to the ground -- it will immediately cut the power, to protect anyone in physical contact with the electrical system.
These essential devices are inexpensive to purchase and to install. Find an experienced electrician to install GFI receptacles in your home.
Where is GFCI Installation Required?
GFI protection is legally required by the current home construction standards for all receptacles that are likely to come in contact with moisture. This includes installation in:
outdoor areas
swimming pool areas
bathrooms
garages
kitchen
laundry
wet bar sink vicinity
unfinished basements
crawlspaces
How a GFI/GFCI Works
The GFI detects changes in current to any appliance connected to it (such as a toaster or blow dryer). It contains a sensor that compares the current flow to and from the appliance. If there is a potentially dangerous drop in the current, then the GFCI by trips an interior relay in less than one second. This completely shuts down its power. When this happens, unplug the appliance and press the reset button on your GFCI receptacle.
When a GFCI Receptacle Won’t Reset
Play it safe. Contact an experienced electrician in any of the following cases:
The GFCI receptacle does not reset
The GFI frequently shuts down
You suspect there’s anything wrong with your GFCI receptacle or your home electrical system.
Testing Your GFCI
Test your GFI receptacles once a month. Plug in a clock or lamp, make sure the appliance is on, and then press the GFCI test button. If the clock or lamp loses power and the reset button on the GFI receptacle pops out, that’s a good sign – the GFCI is doing its job. (Now just press “reset” to get it working again.)
If the reset button pops out but the appliance does not lose power, the GFCI wiring was done incorrectly. Contact an electrician to fix the problem. If the reset button does not pop out at all, your GFCI is defective and must be replaced.
You can purchase a GFCI tester at most hardware stores. It plugs into the GFCI receptacle, and will supply you with information about your connections, such as wiring problems and the condition of the GFCI. But always will be a good idea to let this on the hand of experts for better results.
Types of GFCIs
There are three kinds of GFCIs for home use: receptacle, circuit breaker, and portable.
1. GFI receptacle
This is the basic GFI receptacle as pictured above, which is installed to replace older, non-GFI receptacles.
2. GFI circuit breaker
These are installed in a panel box to give protection to selected circuits. The GFCI circuit breaker will shut off electricity in the event of a problem; it will also trip when a short circuit or an electrical overload occurs.
3. Portable GFCI receptacle
Portable GFCIs are used when there is no GFI installed nearby. For example, you may want to connect your electric lawn trimmer to a GFI receptacle, but your garage does not have one. Simply plug a portable GFI into the standard receptacle and then plug in the trimmer.
