GFCI & AFCI Technologies

Protect Against Electrocution

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) and Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) are important pieces of electrical safety equipment for any residential property. For example, GFCIs and AFCIs are mandatory by the National Electrical Code for some electrical circuits.

Although they are both safety devices with similar sounding acronyms, they actually do quite different things. Learn about the values and differences between GFCI and AFCI protection:

GFCI Outlets (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters)

“Protecting people from the path to harm.”

GFCI outlets provide the best protection against electrical shock and electrocution. A GFCI receptacle works by removing energy from a circuit when it detects differences in the amount of energy passing through and returning back to the device. Basically, if the outlet detects even the slightest amount of leaking electrical current, it will turn the circuit off, eliminating the risk of a person getting shocked or electrocuted.

Consider using GFCI outlets throughout your home to make it a safer place, especially in areas near water, such as bathrooms and kitchens as well as your garage outlets and all exterior receptacles. In fact, if you don’t have GFCI outlets installed in specific areas of your home, you could be violating the National Electrical Code. Call S&B Electric today for more information on GFCI receptacles and residential electrical safety.

AFCI Outlets & Breakers (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters)

“The best fire protection is prevention.”

AFCI technology is designed to shut down the circuit once an arcing situation is detected. An arc is when electrical current passes through the air. These clever devices can distinguish between naturally occurring arcing, such as ones that occur when you flip a switch, and unsafe occurrences.

More than 13% of all home fires are electrical in origin, and of these occurrences, half resulted from some type of arcing situation. To learn more about residential electrical safety codes, and arc fault Bay Area electrician!

What is an Electrical Arcing?

• 1) Naturally occurring: Occurs when a light switch is flipped or a motor driven appliance is turned on, such as a vacuum cleaner.
• 2) Unsafe occurrence: Occurs when loose or corroded connections make intermittent contact, and cause sparking or arcing between the connections. This translates into what can be an enormous amount of heat, which will break down the insulation of the wire and can be the trigger for an electrical fire.

Protect your home from preventable electrical emergencies by calling S & B Electric, to install, replace, or repair your GFCI and AFCI receptacles and breakers. The best protection you can have is when GFCI and AFCI technologies work together to provide you with complete protection from electrical hazards. Make electrical safety a priority in your home today!