GFCI and AFCI Outlets in Plano, TX

As residential electrical systems continue to evolve, so do the safety protections on them. Newer circuit breaker panels help to defend circuits from overheating when too much current flows through them, which will damage the electrical system and possibly start fires. But there are other electrical protections that will help prevent dangerous situations, such as people sustaining hazardous high voltage shocks from outlets or appliances connected to them. GFCI and AFCI outlets are an essential part of the safety protections in modern electrical systems: a circuit breaker protects the house, but these outlets protect you.

If you need to have AFCI and GFCI outlets installed or replaced in your home, contact Hutchins Plumbing & Air Conditioning. You must have licensed electricians to do this work in order to keep your house up to code and to see that the outlets provide the protection they are supposed to. You can trust to our experience: we’ve served Plano, TX and the surrounding areas since 1975.

The Purpose of GFCI and AFCI Outlets

The first question people ask about these newer types of outlets is an obvious one: What do they actually do? We’ll break it down for you:

• GFCI Outlets: GFCI stands for "ground fault circuit interrupter." You’ve seen these outlets before in other buildings: they have two color–coded buttons located between the outlets. A GFCI outlet is designed to prevent people from suffering high voltage electrical shocks by shutting off the current when they detect an imbalance between the neutral and hot sides of an outlet. This imbalance means current is being directed into something other than an appliance, and that usually means a person. Think of it as a fuse that instead of guarding the electrical system from damage is guarding you from damage.
• AFCI Outlets: AFCI stands for "arc fault circuit interrupter." They are similar to GFCI outlets, but protect against a different type of danger, which is arcing, or electrical current jumping between two circuits when it shouldn’t. Arcing will cause sparking and overheating appliances. AFCI protection extends farther than outlets and is integrated into a home’s electrical panel.

Both installations are now required for specific rooms in homes by the National Electrical Code. However, this code is a guideline for different jurisdictions to follow or adapt, and it’s the responsibility of professional electricians to know the code application in your area. You only have to call licensed electricians to find out how best to have GFCI and AFCI protection placed in your home to keep it up to code—and keep you and your family safe.

Our Electricians Will Install and Service GFCI and AFCI Outlets

If you have an older home that still relies on standard three–prong outlets (or even non–grounded two–prong outlets) you should arrange for replacements with GFCI outlets and AFCI protection as soon as possible. These are not difficult or complicated installations for licensed electricians like the ones on staff at Hutchins Plumbing & Air Conditioning, and the difference in safety they provide is tremendous. Think of it as a small investment in protecting you and your loved ones.

If you have some GFCI and AFCI outlets already in your home, contact us if you want to expand their use or you have a dead outlet that requires a replacement. We’re more than happy to provide the electrical safety measures you need in Plano, TX and throughout Grayson and Collin counties.