Almost everyone is aware that your home’s electrical system can be adversely affected by excess moisture. But did you know that there are special outlets designed especially to protect homes from electrical hazards caused by unexpected contact with water? Well there is such a thing and they are readily available for many home applications. What’s it called? A GFCI.
GFCI stands for “ground fault circuit interrupter.” A GFCI is a switch located where an outlet might come into contact with moisture, like a bathroom. You will also see them installed in kitchens and laundry rooms. Installation should always be done by a professional to avoid the danger of electric shock.
Vetting Online Video Tutorials
A word here about everybody’s good friend, YouTube (or whatever favorite online video source). Anybody who does home improvement will immediately recognize the amazing resource that online tutorials are. Basically, if you want to know about how to do or fix ANYTHING, somebody out there probably has a video explaining how to do it. And therein lies the rub. That “somebody” could be anybody. You have no idea whether or not that person has any idea about what they’re talking about. If you are installing a piece of hardware that could mean the difference between a short circuit and a fire and having your electrical system disengage properly, do you really want to put all of your eggs in that basket?
There are many qualified professionals that make videos that are legitimate. But there are a lot that did something once and want to tell the world about it. Perhaps they got it right. But what if they left out a detail? If you search for instructions on installing a GFCI outlet, you get back 6.7 million results. Hmm. Wonder how I determine who knows what they’re talking about. Do you trust a search engine? The possibility of a house fire doesn’t seem worth it.
A better idea is to call Mr. Electric of Chapel Hill and get a home electrical system inspection. From there, you’ll know exactly where you need GFCI switches and you can get a quote on installation. A periodic inspection is a good idea as it can also uncover issues with your circuit breaker panel or other electrical infrastructure. Keep your home safe for you and your family.
