A GFCI watches the current going out on a circuit and the current coming back, and cuts the power when they differ by as little as 0.006 amps, according to CPSC. CPSC credits GFCIs with a key role in cutting electrocutions, and Ohmega Electric in Shirley notes that the electrical code requires them wherever moisture or water exposure is likely.
Rooms that need GFCI protection
Universe Home Services in Farmingdale lists where GFCI protection is required:
- every receptacle in a bathroom
- kitchen receptacles serving the countertops, and any within six feet of the sink
- every outdoor receptacle
- garages and unfinished basements
- laundry areas within six feet of a laundry sink
- wet bars
- pool, spa and hot tub equipment areas
Ohmega Electric adds that under newer code editions every kitchen receptacle needs protection, including the ones away from the sink, and that the exact rules depend on the code edition in force in your town and when the work was done.
The year each room was added
CPSC lists when the National Electrical Code started requiring GFCIs in each spot. Match it to the year your house, or a room in it, was built or redone:
| Location | Required since | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor receptacles | 1973 | CPSC |
| Bathrooms | 1975 | CPSC |
| Garages | 1978 | CPSC |
| Kitchens | 1987 | CPSC |
| Crawl spaces and unfinished basements | 1990 | CPSC |
| Wet bar sinks | 1993 | CPSC |
| Laundry and utility sinks | 2005 | CPSC |
The Electrical Safety Foundation’s history of the rules adds a few later steps: in 2014 the code added outlets within six feet of a tub or shower, dishwasher outlets, and laundry areas in general. CPSC notes that the code typically applies to new construction and major renovations, so these dates tell you what was expected when a room was built, not what an older room has to have today.
Outlet, breaker or plug-in
CPSC describes three kinds:
| Type | Where it goes | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| Receptacle GFCI | In place of a standard outlet | That outlet and the outlets wired after it |
| Circuit breaker GFCI | In the panel | Every outlet and appliance on that circuit |
| Portable GFCI | Plugs into an existing outlet | Whatever is plugged into it |
Because a receptacle GFCI also protects the outlets wired after it, one device placed first on a circuit can cover several outlets. A breaker GFCI covers the whole circuit from the panel.
Older houses with two prong outlets
CPSC says a receptacle GFCI can replace an old ungrounded two slot outlet, and it still protects against shock without a ground wire. The outlet then has to be labeled “No equipment ground, GFCI protected.” It does not add a ground, so equipment that needs one still needs a grounded circuit. That is where a rewiring conversation starts.
Testing the ones you have
CPSC says to test each GFCI at least once a month, after it is installed and after a power failure. Press TEST and the power should cut out, then press RESET. Universe Home Services says a GFCI that does not trip when tested is not protecting you and should be replaced. Ohmega Electric says manufacturers recommend replacing them every 10 years, or sooner if one shows signs of failure.
Permit or not
Haines Electric in Lido Beach says replacing an existing switch or outlet one for one usually needs no permit in Nassau. New circuits and pool wiring are on its list of work that does. If the GFCI is part of a new outdoor circuit or a pool, ask the electrician to include the permit.
Ask before the electrician comes
- Can you protect several outlets from one GFCI at the start of the circuit, and which ones?
- Would a GFCI breaker be simpler for any of these rooms?
- Are any of the outlets on my list two prong, and will you label them?
- Will you test each one with me before you leave?