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AFCI vs. GFCI Outlets

electrical-outlet-wall

Using an outlet in your home isn’t something that the average person second-guesses. You need to use something that runs on electricity and all you need to do is plug it in to get things running. But what happens if your outlets are giving you problems?

Outlets are vital to your home’s electrical system. Without the right outlet being installed correctly, you are going to encounter trouble trying to use anything that needs to plug in. That is why it is vital to talk to an electrician in Winnetka, IL to ensure that your outlets are set up right.

Start out here, by discovering the importance of the different types of outlets you might need in your home.

The Two Types of Outlets You Need to Know About

There are multiple kinds of outlets that you can find hanging in the hardware store. However, we want to discuss two key types of outlets in this blog post: Ground Fault Circuit Interruptor (GFCI) and Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI). While these are both outlets that you can plug a variety of appliances into, they are made to offer different protections for your home.

GFCI outlets

These types of outlets are made to protect your home from the threat of electrical hazards created in areas that have more water or moisture. These types of outlets are ideal for places like the kitchen, bathrooms, or laundry area in the house. They can even be used to give you an access point outside the house. This outlet tracks the electrical current flow and will trip the connecting circuit if it detects a dangerous surge of power.

AFCI outlets

The other outlet type to have in your home is an AFCI outlet. These are made to provide protection from electrical hazards in other parts of the home such as the bedroom. The AFCI outlet is meant to help protect against the heat created by electrical arcs. A loose electrical connection can create an arc which will lead to a huge amount of heat. This can create an electrical fire. Thankfully an AFCI outlet will detect this and shut off the outlet to protect you and your home.

Why Work With an Electrician

Electricians have the knowledge and tools needed to help set you up with an electrical system that is both operational and safe. This includes making sure that your home has the right outlets needed not only to function but to protect you from electrical surges or arcs.

We have plenty of experience handling a wide variety of electrical services. From installing your electrical outlets to making sure that the wiring throughout your home is properly done and you can count on our team to do things right. In fact, we have emergency services available to help you when something goes wrong at the worst moment.

We are proud to offer “Best in Class” services throughout Chicago and the surrounding areas.

Contact the expert team at ServiceMax to schedule your next electrical service. We guarantee your satisfaction, 100%.

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