The Importance Of GFCI Outlets

What is a GFCI Outlet?

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)  is a protective device specifically designed to break the circuit (trip) every time there is an current imbalance between incoming and outgoing current. 

The GFCI outlet protects electrical wiring and receptacles & significantly minimizes the risk of shock injuries and fatal burns. GFCIs also detects ground faults and disrupts the flow of current (by tripping) but should not be used to replace a fuse as it does not offer protection against short circuits and overloading.

Where are GFCI Receptacles Needed?

GFCI outlets are recommended (& sometimes required by code depending upon the age of construction) near water. It’s a good idea to install GFCI outlets in your kitchen, bathrooms, laundry rooms, exterior outlets/receptacles, pool house etc.

Apart from being an essential preventive measure / safety device, the law also requires you to have GFCI outlets installed throughout your home. According to National Electric Code (NEC), all homes must be equipped with GFCI protection to maintain current electrical safety standards. 

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What should I do when a GFCI outlet trips?

This usually isn’t a “call an electrician” moment but it does have the potential to be. When a GFCI trips, there is usually a reset button on the receptacle itself or there is one upstream (for example, sometimes all bathroom outlets are GFCI protected with one single reset button), or it could be that your GFCI protection is provided by a breaker in your service panel. You should try to reset the GFCI. If it doesn’t reset, the GFCI could be defective / damaged & in need of replacement. It’s also possible that the GFCI is doing it’s job still & will not reset until the source of the current imbalance is removed.

Self-Testing Your Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

It is recommended that GFCI outlet should be tested every month and replaced every decade (expected service life). You can follow these simple steps to test if the circuit interrupter is working properly:

1. The face of the GFCI outlet features two small buttons that are labeled test & reset. Simply press the test button & this should trigger a “snap” like sound, which indicates that the outlet has been successfully tripped.

2. Once the power trips, you can check the efficiency of the GFCI unit using a voltage meter or a receptacle tester.

3. Now plug in a device into the outlet and when it stops working, press the test button so you can be sure of the safety mechanism.

4. Once you know the CFGI outlet is working at peak efficiency, you can press the reset button and the circuit interrupter will be turned on once again.

These DIY instructions may be easy-to-follow, they do require the knowledge of the general functioning of your home’s electrical system. It is always recommended to hire a certified / licensed / insured electrician who can ensure that your electrical system is in compliance with relevant codes so your home & the occupants remain protected.

3 Things to Know Before Buying a 1980's Home

Are you about to purchase or in the market for a home built in the 1980’s? Do you know some of the common problems associated with homes built during this time period? Some of the common problems associated with homes built during this time frame include electric panels, ductwork, & the plumbing pipes.

Electric Panels

Relax! If your home was built in the 1980’s, you shouldn't have to worry about aluminum wiring! There are, however, some brand name electric panels that are infamous to home inspectors in the industry. Federal Pacific and Zinsco come to mind for me.

The standard electric panel installed in the 1980’s was an 100 amp electric panel which is the minimum electric service requirement today (January, 2019). If your planning on running a workshop out of your home with the use of a lot of power tools that require a decent electrical load, you might have some problems. For the average homeowner, 100 amps might be adequate but, something to consider when purchasing the home. As the families grow in numbers in homes, so do the electrical loads.

Federal Pacific & Zinsco electric panels had a few manufacturer errors when they were originally built. A lot of home inspectors out there wont even touch them if they spot them due to the potential dangers of these electric panels. Some of the common problems associated with the panels were that the breakers failed to trip when overloaded, resulting in a potential house fire. Another common problem with the two panels is that when the panel cover is removed, the breakers had a tendency to pop out rather easy. This is the main reason that a lot of home inspectors wont touch them and refer them out to a qualified licensed electricians.

Air Ducts / Ductwork

Flex ducts were still a relatively new thing in the 1980’s and they saved contractors and homebuilders a lot of money at the time. Like everything out there, it’s all a great idea until it’s not anymore. The earth is flat until it’s not anymore. The ductwork that home inspectors are looking for are typically referred to as “Gray Flex Ducts” which tend to be problematic. The outer shell of the gray flex duct would split when exposed to UV light. The entire flex duct was likely to deteriorate after the outer shell was split open. The UV light was able to enter the attic through the attic vents (do not seal up your attic ventilation). A lot of homeowners would tape them up to seal them which is a good temporary solution but, the longterm fix is replacing the flex duct which isn't a crazy expensive fix in the long run. The newer flex ducts out there seem to be much better & the UV light issue has since been solved.

Plumbing Pipes / Systems

This one is a bit more popular since there was a class action lawsuit against Polybutylene plumbing systems or also commonly referred to as Quest (Qwest).

This piping system was revolutionary at the time due to its ability to bend and flex while being installed. It saved a lot of time during the building process and a lot of money for the builders and contractors. Unfortunately, a lot of these plumbing systems failed which caused a lot of property damage to homes and headaches to homeowners.

Most of the problems came near the plastic pipe fittings for the first generation of polybutylene plumbing systems. Many of those plastic fittings were replaced by copper fittings. This was viewed as an adequate fix at the time but, some homeowners still have problems with them. There are a lot of homeowners out there that have little to no problems with their polybutylene plumbing system in their homes. However, many home inspectors will still bring this to your attention for you to make your own decision about purchasing the home.

Remember, every home needs maintenance and things to be fixed over time. Home inspectors like myself love to use the “old car” analogy when talking about problems in the home. Owning a car requires the oil to be changed regularly, along with a new oil filter, a new air filter, spark plugs at times, etc. We often forget that our homes require the same level of care and maintenance to operate & perform in the way it was designed.

I hope this home inspection blog finds you well and that you learned something from it! I’m Jacob Knapp with Virginia State Home Inspections and I primarily operate in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia (Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Gloucester, Hayes, Matthews, Jamestown, Poquoson, etc.). If you have any questions or just want to chat, you can reach me at info@vastatehomeinspections.com or call me at 757-503-3677. Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for some awesome freebies & advice @VAStatehomeinspections I’m truly passionate about helping people learn and helping them to save money! Have a great one everyone & please let me know what you think!