What is A GFCI

From http://mnelectrician.wordpress.com

Here’s one of those “what is this and why do I need it” questions – what is GFCI? Take this quiz: GFCI stands for: A. Garden and Farming Collective Insurance B. Garage Floor Cement Improvement System C. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter D. Girder Framing Continuous I-Beam.

Did you answer C.? You’re right! A GFCI, or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, is a special electrical receptacle that shuts off the electricity at that outlet if, for example, you drop your hair dryer in a tub full of water (hopefully you are not in the tub at the time). Any imbalance in electrical current will be sensed by a GFCI outlet and will make it trip (stop the current) very quickly. Hundreds of electrocutions are prevented by these simple and relatively inexpensive devices. However, as a home inspector, I see many homes that do not have any GFCI protected outlets. Is your home one of them?

GFCI protection was not included in building codes until 1973 when GFCI protected outlets were required outside. Now, GFCI outlets are called for in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, unfinished basements, crawlspaces, and laundry rooms. So, depending upon when your home was built, you might or might not have them in some or in all of these places.

Because GFCI protected electrical outlets are so effective at protecting you from fatal electrical shocks, you should consider installing these special receptacles in the places where you do not have them now – kitchen, bathrooms, garage, and laundry room. Can you do this yourself? Although many people are comfortable with turning off the power to the outlet and following the directions in the GFCI box carefully, I would recommend hiring a licensed local electrician to do this work. He/she might find other issues, such as an outlet that does not have a ground, or has the polarity reversed – both items are safety hazards that should be fixed.

You should test your GFCI outlets periodically. Here’s how: you will see two buttons on the outlet, usually right in the middle between the two plug areas. Plug a lamp or night light into one of the outlets and then push the “TEST” button.. The outlet’s “RESET” button should pop out, and the light that you plugged in will go out. If the “RESET” button pops out but the light does not go out, the GFCI outlet hasn’t been wired correctly. If the “RESET” button does not pop out, the GFCI is defective and should be replaced. If the outlet is working correctly, all you need to do is push in the “RESET” button and power will be restored to the outlet. If the “RESET” button will not reset, this, along with the other problems I just mentioned, should be repaired or replaced by a qualified person (electrician).

Take this opportunity to make sure your home outlets are safe to use by checking for GFCI units and correcting any problems you find with the rest of your electrical receptacles. All hardware stores and even some grocery stores have a small electrical outlet checker that you can use to determine the proper functioning of your non-GFCI outlets.

About the Author: Lisa P. Turner is a certified home inspector and licensed general contractor. Her company, Your Inspection Expert, Inc., inspects homes for home buyers, sellers, owners, mortgage companies, and construction companies. Her company also conducts Radon testing and consulting and will soon add energy audits and efficiency consulting.

Visit http://www.YourInspectionExpert.com for information and more tips to maximize the value of your home as well as find out more about what inspectors do.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_P._Turner

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Should You Get An Electrical Inspection?

Should You Get An Electrical Inspection?

You know that when buying a home, a property inspection is vital. But what about an electrical inspection? According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, a separate and comprehensive electrical inspection is necessary in many home purchases. The Foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes electrical safety. They recommend that any Florida home that is over 40 years old, has had major renovation or major appliances added over 10 years ago or is changing owners receive an electrical inspection. Your standard home inspection will inspect the property for structural defects, as well as plumbing, electrical and mechanical problems. You should always have a property inspected before closing. It saves you from discovering costly surprises after your name is on the deed. But keep in mind that the property inspection is a surface inspection. Light switches will be flipped. Wiring in the attic will be looked at. But you should have someone look a little bit further. What does your electrical inspection mean? It means that someone has checked for loose-fitting outlets, checked the fuse boxes and circuit breakers. Everything electrical is tested and double-checked. Why should you bother? Electricity is a powerful force that leads to another powerful force — fire. There are more than 165,000 electrical-related home fires in any given year. On average, 900 people loose their lives to these fires each year. Think about it, when was the last time you checked your electric system? Do you check for frayed or overheated cords? Do you feel your outlets for heat? Do you take care of overloaded circuits? Do you put too high of wattage light bulbs into your lights? Even if you answered yes, the chances are slim that the seller would. For example, in our recent purchase, a major wiring problem skipped both our and our inspector’s attention. If we had an electrical inspection, the problem would have been caught. Just like a property inspection, join the electrician on the tour of your property. Ask questions and have him explain what he is checking and why. The information can help you in the maintenance of your home’s electrical system. For example, how many of us know why a breaker keeps flipping and what we should do about it. If you plan on making changes to the home, such as adding a hot tub or other major appliance, talk about it with the inspector. He or she could offer helpful advice and tips. Keep in mind that electricity isn’t something to play around with. You shouldn’t use 100 watt bulbs in a 40 watt fixture. Don’t run extension cords heavily all over your home. Check your smoke detectors and replace their batteries regularly. Have your home inspected and prevent any problems before they have a chance to catch a spark. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Lukac

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