GFCIs*

"It was working perfectly fine until YOU touched it!"   (Those are not words an inspector likes to hear.)

You know that funny little outlet in the bathroom with the buttons on it?   The one that trips sometimes when you use the hair dryer....when was the last time you tested it?

I know the answer.  You just thought......"tested it"?

*GFCI is the abbreviation of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.  The purpose of this device is to cut the power to the outlet if there is a problem  between the hot and ground circuits.  It is a safety device.

Testing it is simple.  Plug in an appliance.  Push the test button.  The power should go off and the reset button should pop out.  When you push the reset button the appliance should come back on.  If it doesn't, it was already broken.  Testing it also helps keep the contact points clean.

I can't tell you how long a GFCI will last anymore than I can tell you how long a light bulb will last.  But I do know this.....you wouldn't park your car in the backyard for two years and expect it to start.  So, why would you wait until the day you drop your hairdryer in the sink to find out if the GFCI is going to trip?

Test it. 

Nel Broce

Nel, AZ cert #38548, ASHI #109712 is a senior inspector at Desert State Home Inspections.  He can be reached at 480-585-6456/