GFCI Outlet Installation in Wayne, NJ
If you’ve never heard of GFCI outlets, you’re not alone. Most people don’t even realize that there are different types of outlets in their homes, let alone what each of them is and what it does. That said, there are circumstances where having GFCI outlets is extremely important and could even be life-saving.
Already know it’s time to look into GFCI electrical outlet installations in Wayne, NJ? Xpert Electric can help. Contact us online or call (201) 393-2420 to find out how.
What Are GFCI Outlets?
Let’s start at the beginning. GFCI is short for ground fault circuit interrupter. That might sound complicated, but it’s easy enough to understand once you break it down into its component parts. A ground fault occurs when electricity no longer follows its intended path. A circuit interrupter shuts off the flow of power when certain conditions are present. What that means is that a GFCI outlet detects the abnormal flow of electricity, then shuts off the power so that no one gets hurt.
Where to Find GFCI Outlets
GFCI outlets are required by Wayne, NJ, electrical codes in any area that could be exposed to water, which is the most common cause of ground faults. If your house is up to code, you should be able to find them in the kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and any other areas within six feet of an intended water source. If you notice outlets in these areas that aren’t GFCIs, give us a call. We’ll send out an electrical contractor in Wayne to address the problem before it causes safety issues.
How to Identify GFCIs
If you’ve noticed an electrical outlet not working in a wet area and you want to know if it’s a GFCI, you’ll have to take a close look. The broken outlet will look just like any other one in the house, except that it will feature two small buttons in the middle. The black button is a “test” button, and the red one is a “reset” button.
GFCIs feature a special kind of electrical wiring in Wayne that allows them to trip automatically when exposed to ground faults and the reset button to restore the flow of power after a GFCI outlet’s safety function kicks in. It doesn’t take a professional electrical contractor in Wayne to fix GFCI outlets each time they stop working. Before you call for electrical outlet repair in Wayne, make sure to try resetting it. If it trips repeatedly, though, you’ll need to give one of our trusted Wayne, NJ, electricians a call.
Types of GFCI Outlets
If you want to perform very basic GFCI electrical outlet troubleshooting at home, you’ll need to know how to identify the different types. They include:
- Receptacle GFCIs
- Temporary GFCIs
- Circuit breaker GFCIs
The ones you find near water supplies are usually receptacle GFCIs, so the chances are good that those are the only ones you’ll have to worry about at home. The NEC requires them on any 125V to 250V outlet rated 150V or fewer and supplied by a single-phase branch circuit. However, circuit breaker GFCIs are found only on the electrical panel, and temporary outlets are designed to be plugged into unprotected wall outlets and run to potentially damp areas.
GFCIs and Circuit Breakers
Wondering, why does my circuit breaker keep tripping? While a broken outlet can cause this problem in a modern home, the chances are good that it is unrelated to GFCIs. When a circuit breaker keeps tripping, it’s because something on that circuit is drawing too much power. GFCI outlets disconnect the current to unintended ground paths when it’s too small to trip circuit breakers.
All of that said, if your circuit breaker keeps tripping and your home has old, outdated GFCIs, they could be to blame. While it’s fine to perform basic electrical outlet troubleshooting at home, you should never try to fix electrical outlet wiring in Wayne. Leave that aspect of electrical outlet repair in Wayne to us.
Who to Call for GFCI Electrical Outlet Installations in Wayne, NJ
Are you looking for an electrical contractor in Wayne to help with a new outlet installation? Are you wondering, why does my circuit breaker keep tripping? We’ve been answering these kinds of questions and providing Wayne, NJ, homeowners with all of the electrical services they need for years, so no matter what’s wrong, you can trust the pros at Xpert Electric to help.
Whether there’s an electrical outlet not working or you need help with GFCI electrical outlet installations in Wayne, NJ, you can count on Xpert Electric. Contact us online or call (201) 393-2420 to schedule an appointment today.