What are GFI outlets and why do I need them?

Safety

May 9

Do you ever see those strange looking plugs by your sink and wonder what they are or why they have buttons on them? They are called GFI or GFCI devices. It stands for Ground Fault Interrupter or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.

They can be called either or both and mean the same thing. The idea is that it is causing an interruption in the circuit, and here’s why.

Why Do We Have GFI Outlets?

Through the years as technology and our understanding of electricity has evolved, we have tried to minimize the risk it brings with it. Many deaths were occurring due to electrocution and a lot of them happened to be water related.

Whether it was bathtub situations or someone crawling under their house after it rained, a correlation was recognized, and a solution had to be introduced. The outcome was the GFI device.

To simplify it, the GFI was introduced to prevent electrical shock. People often confuse its operation with that of your panel fuse or breaker. They in fact work in completely different capacities.

How DO GFI Outlets Work?

The breaker in the panel is heat sensitive, staying one step ahead of the wire as to prevent a fire. If there is an overload in the circuit and the wire begins to heat, the metal in the breaker heats faster causing it to trip at a certain degree mark.

The GFI on the other hand is made to sense variations in amperage. Say we reference the possibility of dropping a corded appliance into the sink or bathtub, the device actually senses fluctuations as small as 4 to 5 milliamps, and is set to cut off the flow in as quickly as 1/13th of a second, minimizing any water or moisture related risk due to electrical shock.

GFI devices can be finicky. It is suggested to test them monthly as they do go bad, especially if used often or are located outside.

Where do I Need GFI Outlets?

Bathrooms
Garages and accessory buildings
Outdoors
Unfinished basements
Crawl spaces
Kitchens
Laundry, utility, and wet bar sinks
Pool/spa areas

Are GFI Outlets Safe?

If you are ever questioning if you need one installed or not, the National Electrical Code, and the Fire Protection Agency in cooperation suggest they are to be installed anywhere within 6 feet of water.

The way they describe this is if you had a 6 ft string and placed the edge of the string on the edge of the sink basin, pool, toilet or any water related fixture you may have.

If the plug in question is anywhere inside this distance it qualifies to be GFI protected. I think we all would agree we would rather just be safe than sorry in situations such as these, so if you are concerned you may need one, go ahead and trust your gut.

Thanks for reading! If you need more information, get in touch with our team.