04/26/2015
I was on one of my Facebook sites and a girl asked in a post recommendations on outlets not working in her bathroom.
I read through the answers coming through and I was bothered by the number of people and posters that didn't really know what a GFI outlet in a bathroom or near water did, could be reset, or what it is really for.
Homes, Condos, and Apartments in Las Vegas require GFI outlets and circuits anywhere there is water within 4 feet of an outlet, switch, or electrical device
Say you are in your bathroom just finishing your bath or shower, and you reach for your towel but accidentally knock your radio into the water on the floor and it busts open revealing and wetting wires and live power... without the protection of a GFI circuit you would have a very real possibility of shocking yourself or even electrocution. A GFI circuit breaker will trip at the first sign of you or a broken wire completing a circuit to ground. Now with a GFI circuit breaker you could still be shocked, but hopefully not electrocuted.
A GFI outlet can be distinguished in your bathroom as the outlet, usually above the counter, but not always, that has a test button and a reset button. Sometimes the actual GFI outlet itself is not in the bathroom. But when the power mysteriously goes out to the outlets, or lights, or fan in your bathroom or laundry room , you can pretty much be assured that something tripped your GFI circuit breaker.
Quite often in Las Vegas single-story dwellings have the GFI outlet in the garage on the wall opposite the garage door. The circuit for the GFI still runs through the bathrooms or laundry and are still protected by the GFI. A simple push of the test button will cut off power to all outlets and wiring protected by the GFI. a simple push of the reset button will restore power to those outlets.
Sometimes in multi level units, as in apartments, condos, or two story houses, the upstairs bathroom or laundry room GFI will also protect the downstairs lights or outlets when there is wiring running through the subfloor that might get wet in a flood or overflow situation.
GFI circuit breakers should be tested yearly at the least, if the Test button does not automatically or completely reset when the reset button is pushed, it should be tested by a qualified repairman.
