Two kinds of electrical safety
Q. I've seen ground fault outlets (GFCI's) in bathrooms and garages for many years, but now I'm hearing about arc fault breakers (AFCI's) for bedroom outlets, and I'm wondering what this is all about. I asked an electrician friend, but his explanation was so technical that I couldn't understand it. Can you please explain in layman terms the differences between these two kinds of electrical safety for outlets?
A. Simplifying the complex is not always simple, so hopefully, this attempt at simplification will not be too complex.
Most people are somewhat acquainted with GFCI outlets (ground fault circuit interrupters), having seen them next to bathroom sinks. These are the outlets with two built-in buttons, one to test and one to reset the GFCI breaker. The purpose of a GFCI is to prevent electric shock when there is a ground fault, that is, when electrical current is being grounded through a person's body. Since an electrical accident of that kind is most likely to occur in wet locations, GFCI protection is required for outlets at sinks, tubs, pools, garages, and outside. When a ground fault occurs, the GFCI breaker trips, thereby stopping the flow of electricity, and all that is necessary to trip a GFCI is a current leak as small as five-thousandths of one amp.
AFCI breakers (arc fault circuit interrupters) also involve electrical safety, but in an entirely different way. Their purpose is not to prevent electric shock from happening to people but to prevent electrical fires from occurring in buildings. Ordinary fuses and circuit breakers are also intended for this purpose, but fuses and circuits breakers disconnect the power only when there is a power overload or a short circuit. A common problem, however, is that not all fires are caused by overloads or short circuits. Many fires are caused by low voltage arcing, which can occur where there are broken wires or loose electrical connections. Arcing can cause a circuit to overheat, without blowing a fuse or tripping a normal circuit breaker, resulting in house fires and deaths. AFCI breakers were designed to address this kind of electrical problem.
In 1999, the electrical code began to require AFCI's for all bedroom outlets. With each succeeding edition of the electrical code, more outlet and light circuits will require this protection until eventually all 120-volt circuits will be equipped with AFCI's.
Q. We are selling our home, and the buyers' home inspector said there should be a floor drain for the washing machine in our laundry room. We called our plumber and he says this is not a requirement, but now the buyers are insisting that there be a drain. Is this a requirement or not?
A. If the buyers' home inspector suggested a floor drain as an optional upgrade, that would be reasonable. To suggest that the lack of a floor drain is a plumbing violation would be an error for an inspector. Floor drains in laundry rooms are a matter of common sense, and many builders do install them. Unfortunately, this has never been established as a requirement in the plumbing or building codes. However, some municipalities may require floor drains, so check with your local building department to see what their standards are.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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