Protecting Your Family with a GFCI Outlet
One of the best and most cost-effective things you can do for your safety is to have a GFCI installation performed. Short for “ground fault circuit interrupter,” a GFCI is designed to prevent shock. This differs from fuses and breakers, which are designed to prevent electrical fires due to circuit overload.
A GFCI is much more sensitive than your typical outlet. In most normal 120-volt receptacles, there are three slots: one for the outward flowing current, one for returning, and another to ground it. With a standard receptacle, there would be no way to know if the electricity is returning back to the outlet in the event of an incident such as a wet appliance or electrocution. With a GFCI, the amount of current flowing through each prong is measured and if there’s even the slightest imbalance, then power to the receptacle is cut within fractions of a second, potentially saving lives.
A GFCI outlet installation from Mr. Value Electricians can bring multiple benefits to your home, including:
- Can easily replace any standard outlet
- Low maintenance
- Easy to test and operate
- A low cost safety measure
- Potentially life-saving
GFCI outlets have changed the way we use electricity in our homes, making our use of power around water more effective. Some options where they can make the most difference:
- Kitchens: with such a large number of small appliances near a sink, a GFCI outlet should be a no brainer.
- Bathrooms: with large water fixtures such as sinks, toilets, tubs and showers, it’s imperative that you your bathroom is electrically secure. When you use hair dryers, curling irons or radios near large volumes of water, a GFCI can be life saving.
- Outdoors: when you use electronic devices near hose fixtures or in the rain, you increase the risk of electrocution. A wet ground or appliance conducts electricity very well, and as such you should be protected.