Block that Leakage

A GFCI outlet (left) or circuit breaker (right) offers vital protection against electrical shock. You should test your GFCIs monthly to make sure they work properly; many older ones may not. Use the test button to make sure the device works as it should.

For more than a generation, localities have been strengthening their building codes to require that electrical outlets that are outdoors or in kitchens, bathrooms, and basements have ground-fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs. They're supposed to interrupt power instantly if electrical current leaks from its proper path, reducing the risk of shock or electrocution.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association estimates that about 9 percent of GFCIs in homes aren't working. That's why it's important to test all GFCI outlets in your house, especially GFCI circuit breakers, once a month.

Testing a GFCI device takes seconds. Plug in a lamp or small appliance, turn it on, and press the test button. That should cut power at the outlet. If it doesn't, you have a malfunctioning or miswired GFCI. Then push the reset button or reset the circuit breaker, which should restore power. If it doesn't, you have a malfunctioning GFCI that needs to be replaced. An adept do-it-yourselfer can install one of these outlets. But if you're reluctant to fiddle with the household wiring, have an electrician handle the job.

This month, manufacturers will begin producing improved GFCIs, which won't operate if they aren't properly wired.

Checking GFCIs is only one important test of your household's electrical safety. Our August 2001 report Your home wiring: Is it safe? listed seven important warning signs of wiring problems.

Ozburn Electrical, Inc.
P.O. Box 230
Covington, Georgia 30015
770-784-1618
terry@ozelec.com

site designed by Nathan Currin