GFCI Outlets FAQ’s

A Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI outlet is a specialized electrical outlet most often placed in areas where water is present in the proximity of electricity. The risk of being shocked is much higher when electrical outlets are near water sources such as your bathroom sink, or kitchen counter sink. Given their usage in these areas the risk of shock is higher, they are designed to shut off the power if water is present.

If there is a shortage in the circuit line, the GFCI won’t reset. This eliminates the risk of being shocked if it’s shorts while using the outlet.

A GFCI outlet works by having a breaker internally to automatically trip the circuit if it’s overloaded or if it shorts out. This is why the outlet has no power to itself. This safety feature is designed to protect your home or yourself from possible electrical shock.

GFCI outlets help make a home a lot safer but when GFCI won’t reset, here are some reasons why:

• The GFCI outlet is not being supplied with power.
• The outlet might have failed altogether as the internal tripping mechanism won’t allow it to reset.
• The GFCI might not have been installed correctly.
• An open circuit upstream tripped the GFCI might be the cause as to why there is no power or the cause of it not being able to reset.

Call an electrician to find out how. Give us a call, we can assist you.

We use electrical outlets every day but when they don’t work it can be a huge inconvenience. Older GFCI outlet stop working frequently from a lot of usage over time and this could be a sign of potential danger, possibly even a fire hazard.

GFCI outlets are also often placed in outdoor areas like your garage, soffit, and around your home near water sources such as your bathroom sink or kitchen counter sink.