Is your home safe ?

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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.

GFCI receptacles are required in unfinished areas, outdoors and garages.

AFCI Receptacles. Outlet Branch Circuit (OBC) Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) Receptacles protect against arc faults in wiring resulting from damaged insulation and other causes that can lead to electrical fires. An arc fault is an unintended arc created by current flowing through an unplanned path.

Arc fault protection is recommended throughout the home to maximum protection for faulty wiring, especially cloth insulated wiring.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms do save lives! It is critical to ensure that existing units are in good working order. It is easy at times, during our busy lives, to take alarms for granted. Test periodically and make sure that unit has not expired manufacturer's recommended duration of usage. 

Smoke alarms are required in bedrooms. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are required in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms but no more than fifteen 15ft away. In laundry areas and utility rooms where boilers, water heaters, furnaces, etc. are installed.

It is important to ensure that all main and sub electrical panels are installed in accordance to all applicable codes. It is important to address the following, if it not has already, in order to be up to date:

• double taps
• tandem breakers
• proper grounding
• properly fused circuits
• proper bonding