The Safe Way to Make the Holidays Sparkle

Adding Additional GFCI Outlets to Your Home

Beautiful displays of holiday lights are a sure why to make the season brighter for you and your neighbors, but hanging outdoor lights and running power to everything can be a daunting task especially if your outdoor outlets are scarce or not located in easily accessible spots.

Adding additional outdoor outlets can make the task of hanging outdoor lights less frustrating.

When considering additional outdoor outlets, it’s important to understand what a GFCI is and why you will need it.

A GFCI, or ground fault circuit interrupter, is required in:  kitchens, bathrooms, garages, outdoor outlets, crawl spaces and unfinished basements.  You will also be required to have a GFCI in places where equipment draws large amounts of current, or if water is present in any way.
 
What does a GFCI do?  When there is a break in the low-resistance grounding path from a tool or electrical system the electrical current may take an alternative path to the ground thus creating a ground fault.  The electricity may take a path through a user or something a user may unknowingly touch which would result in a shock.  These shocks will cause serious injuries or death.  The ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, is a fast-acting circuit breaker designed to shut off electric power in the event of a ground-fault within as little as 1/40 of a second. It works by comparing the amount of current going to and returning from equipment along the circuit conductors. When the amount going differs from the amount returning by approximately 5 milliamperes, the GFCI interrupts the current and shuts off the flow of electricity.*

When considering an outlet for outdoor use, a GFCI is what you will need.  This type of ground fault interrupter may be built into an electrical system, or it may also be a cord-connected GFCI.  There are actually three types of GFCIs.  They are:
•    Receptacle Type- you’ve probably seen this type of receptacle in your bathroom.  They typically have a test and reset button incorporated into the device.
•    Portable Type- This is just what the name implies, a portable system that may be designed to plug into a receptacle.
•    Cord-Connected Type- The Cord-Connected Type of GFCI is an attachment plug incorporating the GFCI module. It protects the cord and any equipment attached to the cord. The attachment plug has a non-standard appearance with test and reset buttons.

Benefits of a GFCI include:
•    Prevention from accidental electrical shock
•    Prevention of electrical fires

When considering additional power sources this year to hang your holiday lights, remember to be safe and use a GFCI system.

For an estimate on adding this type of outlet to your home, contact Stafford Home Service at 952-927-7194.
*Source:  http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/gfci.html.