Have You Ever Wondered What That Outlet With The Buttons Is Doing in Your Bathroom?
It’s called a GFCI Receptacle, and Yes, It Serves A Purpose.
A GFCI receptacle is a special type of power outlet. You will often find them in your bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere there is open water (like a sink) in your home.
These fancier cousins to the standard receptacle have a unique feature, 2 buttons that reset the outlet.
But let’s back up and talk about why they are even there.
What’s a GFCI Receptacle, And What Does it Do?
The main purpose of a GFCI is to stop you from being electrocuted. (Thanks, GFCI. You’re the best!”)
It monitors the voltage that leaves the outlet, watching for leaking or lost voltage. In other words, the GFCI receptacle (aka outlet/plug) measures the power of energy through a circuit.
If the flow of energy spikes (like if your devices meet water) or the grounding wire becomes unstable, the receptacle will trip and stop the flow of power into the outlet.
It can do this because the GFCI Receptacle has a mini circuit breaker built into it.
(Genius, we know! Welcome to the world of fun electrician facts… we’re great at dinner parties, as you can imagine).
These mini breakers can prevent damage to your home and business electrical circuits and devices as a safety feature, saving you money, time, and danger if the receptacle ever shorts.
My GFCI Receptacle/Outlet Isn’t Working. What Should I Do?
It’s 7 am, and you’re running late for work. Your hair is still wet, so you plug in your hairdryer and turn it on…but nothing happens.
Oh no, is this going to be a wet hair Wednesday?!
Well, if it’s not your hairdryer and your hairdryer is plugged into a GFCI outlet, it could be that the breaker inside your outlet has tripped.
So how can you fix the issue?
- Plug your device into a different receptacle/outlet and see if it works. If it does, move onto step 2.
- Next, unplug all devices from the receptacle/outlet,
- Press the reset button on the receptacle/outlet,
- Plug the device (aka hairdryer) back in and turn it on.
Is your GFCI Receptacle working again? If so, congrats! Goodbye, wet hair Wednesday!
If not, it’s time to give us a call!
Where Are GFCI Receptacles Required in Your Home?
As mentioned, GFCI Receptacles/Outlets are required wherever there is open water or a water basin/sink.
This requirement is found in the Canadian Electrical Code (Part 2), legally binding in Canada. For this reason and your safety, always make sure the electricians you hire follow the code. If they don’t know it…RUN!
In some cases, you can’t have any electrical installed at all. For example, a receptacle in your shower is a bad idea. Kind of common sense, we know.
You need a GFCI in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry (if there is an open sink), outside, etc.
If they’re missing and you need to install GFCIs, get in touch. We can help you install these unique receptacles quickly, safely, and on budget.
And of course, if any of your receptacles have burn marks, sparks, or have a burning smell, we can help you with that too.
In conclusion, we’re your local Red-Seal, Master Electricians, and we’re At Your Service! 24/7 emergency, Renos, upgrades, home and business, whatever your electrical needs, get in touch today!
We’re proud to serve you, Calgary, Okotoks, and the Foothills area.
For all of your home and business electrical needs, we’re here for you.
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