GFCI Receptacles – Reduce Electric Shock Risk
For decades, ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCI receptacles, have saved thousands of lives and have helped significantly reduce the number of home electrocutions by about 50 percent! Many homes and business in the Philadelphia Metro area do not have proper electrical protection in both within their homes or outdoors. GFCI receptacles can prevent you and your loved ones from hazardous and fatal electrical shock! Here’s how!
GFCI receptacles are electrical safety devices that trip electrical circuits when they detect ground faults or leakage currents. A person who becomes part of a path for leakage current will be severely shocked or electrocuted. These outlets prevent deadly shock by quickly shutting off power to the circuit if the electricity flowing into the circuit differs by even a slight amount from that returning.
GFCI receptacles should be used in any indoor or outdoor area where water may come into contact with electrical products or wiring. The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code currently requires that GFCI receptacles be used in all kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and outdoors. GFCI receptacles should be tested once a month to confirm that they are working properly:
How to Test Your GFCI Receptacles:
GFCI receptacles should be tested often to make sure they are working properly:
- Push the “reset” button on the GFCI receptacle to prepare the outlet for testing.
- Plug in an ordinary light or plug tester (from Home Depot) into the GFCI receptacle and turn it ON. The light should now be on.
- Push the “test” button of the GFCI receptacle. The light should go OFF.
- Push the “reset” button again. The light should now come ON again.
If the light does not turn off when the test button is pushed, then the GFCI receptacle may have been incorrectly wired or damaged and it no longer offers shock the protection it was designed for.
Need to know if your home is properly protected? America’s Best Mechanical & Electrical offers electrical safety inspections. We can make sure you have GFCI receptacles in the appropriate areas of your home today, and that your electrical service is properly grounded and safe for you and your family, friends and loved ones in your home. Contact us online to schedule your FREE estimate OR your electrical safety inspection!