1
National Fire Protection Association; Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFi)
2Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFi)
How Safe Is
Your Home’s
Wiring?
Your home and family
may be vulnerable to easily
preventable dangers.
Read on for ways to
protect them.
Keeping Up with Codes
The National Electrical Code
®(NEC
®) has long mandated that
GFCI outlets be installed in kitchens, bathrooms, garages,
outdoors, and other damp locations. More recent code changes
require AFCIs in living spaces such as bedrooms and living rooms.
In 2014, the NEC introduced additional AFCI requirements for
kitchens and laundry rooms; so if you are remodeling or building
new, you’ll need to have both in place. If you need to upgrade,
Leviton’s SmartlockPro
®Dual Function AFCI/GFCI outlet offers
shock and fi re protection in one device and can be used to satisfy
NEC requirements for modifi cations/extensions, replacement
receptacles, and, in certain instances, new construction.
Why Choose an AFCI/GFCI Outlet?
The AFCI/GFCI dual function outlet is a cost-effective option that
works with any type of wiring and can be reset by simply pressing
a button on the face of the device.
An Ounce of Prevention
More than half of the 28,000 electrical home fi res¹ and nearly 70%
of the 400 electrocutions that occur in the U.S.² every year could
have been prevented with two inexpensive, DIY-friendly safety
devices. And while these devices may look similar, the ground-fault
and arc-fault dangers they prevent—and functions they perform—
are vastly different. Here’s why you need the protection of both.
The Ground-Fault/Arc-Fault Difference
Ground-faults occur when electricity escapes bare, damaged, wet,
or poorly insulated wires and takes a shortcut to the ground. If your
body provides the path to that ground, you could be electrocuted.
Arc-faults happen when electricity crosses a gap between
damaged wiring such as loose, corroded, overloaded connections
in walls, appliances, and cords. The resulting high-intensity heat
can ignite surrounding materials, including framing and insulation.
GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) and AFCI (Arc-Fault
Circuit Interrupter) outlets detect these faults and instantly break
the connection, reducing the risk of electrical shock and fi re.