Be Safe To A Fault

One of the most important safety devices in your home could very well be a simple electrical device called a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). They should be installed in all rooms where water is commonly used in your home, such as the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room, as a protection against electrical shock.

GFCIs are designed to provide protection against electrical shock from ground faults, which occur when the electrical current in the appliance strays outside the path where it should normally flow. This "ground fault," or unintentional electric path between a source of current and a grounded surface, occurs when current is "leaking" somewhere - in effect, electricity is escaping to the ground. If your body provides a path to the ground for this leakage, you could be burned, severely shocked or electrocuted.

GFCIs, however, are subject to wear and possible damage (as from a strong power surge during an electrical storm) and should be tested regularly. Once a month, in fact.

To test your GFCIs, follow this simple procedure:

• Push the "Reset" button of the GFCI receptacle to prepare the unit for testing.
• Plug in an ordinary night light into the GFCI and turn it on. The light should now be ON.
• Push the "Test" button of the GFCI. The night light should go OFF.
• Push the "Reset" button again. The night light should now go ON again.

The night light should always go out when the test button is pushed. If the light does not go out, then the GFCI either is not working or has been installed incorrectly. Contact a qualified electrician to check the GFCI and correct the problem.