Back in 1992, Hurricane Andrew changed the game for building houses in Florida. The damages it accrued cost about $26.5 billion and, according to the NPS, “more than 250,000 people were left homeless, 82,000 businesses were destroyed or damaged, and about 100,000 residents of south Dade County permanently left the area in Andrew’s wake.”
This unprecedented disaster especially took a toll on the Miami-Dade County area. The massive devastation after Andrew is actually the reason that, since 2002, we’ve had a statewide Florida Building Code (FBC) in effect.
Can you believe that we didn’t have one before this? Prior to the FBC, there were still codes, but it was a hodge-podge of various different rules that the hundreds of jurisdictions statewide implemented and enforced, often inconsistently.
Today, Miami-Dade (and now Broward) Counties are considered the HVHZ (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone). They have the absolute highest requirements in the state for home hurricane protections– and actually, the nation.
But areas outside of the HVHZ can still have a high risk of wind damage, so The Florida Building Code requires features such as “hurricane windows” (i.e., opening protection) in some other areas of Florida, but not all.
So you see, determining which and even if you need hurricane windows in Florida can get pretty technical. Let us simplify it for you by breaking down what you actually need to know!
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You may hear your home inspector mention “opening protection” for your home. This refers to any entry into your home that we consider an opening– typically doors, windows, garage doors, skylights, glass blocks, etc.
Opening protection means your doors and windows have a barrier that has been tested against debris impact and pressure in case of a hurricane. So, hurricane windows and hurricane shutters both fall under the umbrella of opening protection.
Other aspects of opening protection include:
It’s also worth noting that regulations and code requirements for each of these materials differ from county to county, and sometimes in different areas of the same county.
For instance, in Polk county, they don’t require opening protection whatsoever. But in Pinellas County, you definitely do! Plus, nearly all areas within 1-mile of the coast require it statewide. We call this the WBDR (Wind-Borne Debris Region), which the smaller HVHZ (i.e., Miami-Dade/Broward) sits within.
Here’s a great map from SoFlo Impact Windows that demonstrates which counties in Florida are in WBDR and HVHZ areas that require higher-grade impact hurricane windows:
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Home inspectors like us who also perform Wind Mitigation Inspections can investigate these aspects of your home. While we don’t perform code inspections, we can prepare a report for your insurance company that may help you qualify for discounts.
The Florida Building Code is updated every 3-years. This includes the boundaries of the WBDR, which has expanded over time. We are currently on the 7th Edition as of January 2021.
However, the wind mitigation report is valid for up to five years. Because of this, you should also have a new wind mitigation inspection performed and submitted to your homeowners’ insurance company every five years.
During this inspection, we determine the weakest form of wind-borne debris protection of each opening.
The levels of protection from strongest to weakest are:
While the Florida Building Code can specify the required opening protection in your area, you typically do not have to install these features unless building new or performing a replacement. Understanding what’s required and where can be a real challenge. Therefore, we always recommend first contacting your local jurisdiction’s building department for the most accurate requirements at your specific address, before having any work performed.
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We always get people asking about ratings when they inquire about their hurricane windows in Florida. But what they’re really asking — in a technical sense — is if the windows have approval ratings for both:
1.) Impact (i.e., large or small missile), and
2.) Cyclic (i.e., pressure ratings).
Items that are verified as both Impact and Cyclic rated will have gone through independent testing proving their performance. They’ll have either a “Product Approval Number (i.e. FL#),” or a “Notice of Acceptance (NOA)” assigned to them. As mentioned above, this can be verified on the product with a sticker or imprint. The State of Florida provides the Florida Product Approval Number, while Miami-Dade County issues their similar NOA (Notice of Acceptance) to prove these products are “verified.”
It’s important to know that while some items are impact/cyclic verified for the WBDR, they are still not necessarily HVHZ approved.
Before shopping for hurricane windows for your Florida home, you can search these online databases where you can find product approvals/acceptance yourself. But we still also recommend contacting your local building department, too. In construction speak, we call them the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction).
Also, while the windows and doors themselves can be rated, some specific boards, panels, shutters, or fabrics can also be verified as rated opening protections, and are usually a more affordable option.
If your home is in an HVHZ area, you may even choose to install shutters over your already resilient hurricane windows for double-layer protection during hurricane season.
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You’ll never be able to get a straightforward answer when determining how much hurricane windows cost. Location, materials, window size, and experience of your hurricane window installer all play a role in the pricing structure.
To give you an estimate, you can expect to pay about $62 per square foot for your hurricane windows.
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There is no difference between hurricane and impact windows. As we hinted earlier, calling them hurricane windows is really a simple, generalized term. Because these windows are both impact and cyclic tested, you should know that they’ll cost more. According to Home Advisor, the average impact hurricane window will cost between $2,679-14,151.
That’s a huge difference, right?
Our advice if you’re already a homeowner is to call your local building official. They’ll be able to tell you what opening protection you specifically need in your area (either on new builds or for replacing windows/doors). Compare these requirements to the windows/doors you already have installed. Look up the labels online for a FL# or NOA if you can.
Maybe you already have what you need. Or maybe it’s time to shop around. Luckily, there are plenty of “hurricane window” contractors here in Florida.
Lastly, after all is said and done, then it’s time to get a new wind mitigation inspection performed, which may improve the discounts on your homeowners’ insurance.
A window screen replacement can be a pain in the butt. And in all honestly, it’s usually one of those things we ignore. After all, we still have our window to protect us from the Florida weather, right?
Well, not exactly.
If you’re buying a home in Florida, your home inspection report will bring up damaged or missing window screens.
Why the heck would we do that? We’re glad you asked!
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While Florida doesn’t technically require homeowners to replace their ripped window screens, most home inspectors still make a note of it. Unless you are a property manager, then they are required for rentals.
This process is a lot more refined than first-time homebuyers realize. Aspects of a home that you may not have thought to look at (like window screens) might be a cause for concern later down the road.
Overlooked home discrepancies like clogged drains can cause plumbing issues, while something as simple as a dirty filter can be catastrophic to your entire AC unit. And that’s a pretty costly deal— especially here in Florida.
Your windows serve as a primary barrier between the safety of your home and the outside world. Broken screens are a structural and health-related concern that home inspectors find relevant to the home buying process.
Here are some other reasons why we might suggest window screen replacement.
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If you’ve lived in Florida long enough, you know that mosquitos are an ever-present pest.
But did you know that, by far, mosquitos are the deadliest creature in the world?
Sure, you’re more likely to simply get an itchy bump on your arm if a mosquito bites you. However, mosquitoes carry diseases that are routinely transmitted to humans.
According to the CDC, “West Nile virus is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases in the continental United States.” Some other known illnesses caused by these creatures include Malaria, Yellow Fever, and Zika Virus.
Floridians are especially at risk because mosquitos are prevalent after heavy rains and hurricanes. Believe it or not, one million people die from mosquito-borne diseases every year.
These window screens help keep you and your family safe.
Window screens may not look like much, but they do more work than they’re given credit for.
Besides critter protection, window screens can also expand the life of your windows. It helps prevent water from pooling along your window edges which can cause your window frame to rust.
When your window frame is damaged, it can lead to foggy windows (which will need replacing) or even excess water in your home. This water infiltration can cause mold, interior paint peeling, and other structural issues from Florida’s inclement weather.
Window screens are also just an additive layer of protection in case something comes flying at your window!
The total cost to DIY your window screen replacement is about $25-55. That’s assuming you only need to replace the screen and not the frame. Here’s a breakdown of everything you’ll need:
1. Aluminum or fiberglass screening $10-15
2. Spline replacement $15-20
3. Spline tool $10
4. Utility knife $10
5. Screen repair kit for small patches $3
Here’s a great video on how to repair your window screen:
To hire someone for window screen replacement, you’re looking at an average cost of about $135 per window.
These costs aren’t something you would typically bother the seller with at negotiations.
But when your home inspector tells you that it’s five window screens that need replacing, then it might be worth bringing up.
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When just one window screen needs replacing, all you need are the tools above for a quick DIY fix. The biggest issue for window screen replacement comes when the frame is bent. Now, you have the restore the entire screen unit.
So let’s get into how to replace a window screen frame.
Measure the width of your window first. Using your tape measure, go from corner to corner. Try to get to the nearest 1/8 inch.
To measure the window height, find the lip. This is the rubber piece at the top and bottom of your window (where your previous screen frame sat).
For double windows, you’ll want to measure from directly behind the lip, up to the window channel (the section separating the top pane from the bottom pane). Add 1/8 inch here.
Here’s a video on how to measure for window screens of various sizes.
Now that you know your window’s measurements, you can choose the right size pre-framed window screen.
Removing window screens and their frame is pretty simple.
Open the window and press gently on the corner of the frame. This tension helps release the rounded springs that are at the top of the frame. You may need the help of a tool for this, but the bottom half should pop out from behind the lip. Get a grip on the bottom of the screen and pull down to release the frame from the window. Side note: On some windows this should be done from the inside, so if you’re having trouble, go to the other side of the window.
You may also have tabs on the bottom of your screen. If that’s the case, lift them simultaneously, and then push the screen out. Pull down to release the top of half of the window screen frame from the window.
For tricky window screen removals, watch this video.
Now that your screen is out, you can choose to replace it with a pre-framed screen that you can get at Home Depot. Or you can re-screen it yourself using the tutorial above.
To replace your window with a pre-framed screen, align it with the top half of your window opening. Try to get those springs into place.
From there, your screen should have tabs that you can use to lower the bottom of your screen behind the lip. It should snap right into place!
Here’s a video for visual instruction.
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We hope this quick tutorial can help you DIY your window screen replacement (or get you a better deal for closing on your new home)! And remember to always ask your home inspector about the condition of your home’s windows and screens.
While inspecting homes across the Central Florida area, we run into various versions of this question all of the time: What’s the difference between plaster walls/ceilings and drywall?
If you have an older home, or are considering purchasing one, you might need to learn how to handle plaster walls.
Drywall, on the other hand, is easier to deal with and probably more familiar to you. Most new homes these days are made with drywall, and you can easily find supplies at your local hardware supply store. Plus, there are plenty of drywall contractors you can call to help you out.
You won’t be so lucky if you have plaster walls.
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Learning how to spot plaster versus drywall is pretty straightforward. The short answer is that plaster is literally harder than drywall. You may also notice that plaster walls are more susceptible to cracking from building settlement or thermal expansion/contraction.
Plaster is also harder and more time-consuming to install and repair. It’s literally a rock, making for quieter and “cooler” feeling spaces. It’s a material that is generally durable and resilient to moisture, which is why it used to be popular in Florida homes.
Plaster is applied “wet” by hand troweling, often in multiple layers over a wood or metal lath, or gypsum lath boards. Thus, the thickness of plaster can be somewhat inconsistent since it is applied by hand.
It’s held on by suction, mechanical bonds such as “keys,” or a chemical bonding agent. For the uninitiated, plaster walls present challenges to securely hanging pictures or TVs on the wall (although it’s definitely possible if you learn how).
Check out our related article on HOW TO FIND A STUD IN PLASTER WALLS.
On the other hand, drywall is much easier, faster, and cheaper to install and repair. Unlike the “wet” application of plaster, it is put on in dried sheets, hence the name DRYwall. It attaches to the wall studs and ceiling trusses by the use of screws or nails.
Then, the seams and fasteners are finished smooth with tape and a joint compound “mud.” It provides a “warmer” feel to a room. Like plaster, drywall offers a level of fire resistance.
Many repairs can be DIY if you have drywall vs plaster walls. And if that’s not possible, good drywall tradespersons are much easier to find than those with plastering skills.
However, drywall isn’t as sound-deadening as plaster, and it’s actually much less resilient to moisture. Just ask those in New Orleans affected by flooding from Hurricane Katrina.
There’s nothing “wrong” with either product. But while they serve the same intent, they are very different.
Each material has advantages and disadvantages that are important for homeowners to understand. Here’s a great video by Leah from the YouTube channel “See Jane Drill” that will help with this. She’s got the true heart of a teacher and is one of our favorites!
Plaster has millennia of history behind it. Literally 1000’s of years. The Babylonians, Greeks, Romans (including the Italians), and Egyptians all used plaster. So did the ancient peoples of China and India.
Suffice to say, it’s an ancient building product. Plaster has multiple varieties, textures and chemistries using diverse materials such as clay, lime, or gypsum.
You’re probably familiar with exterior plastering, which is usually referred to as stucco. In England and some areas of the US, they call plastering “rendering” or “parge coating.”
Venetian plaster has marble dust added, while rammed earth or waddle-and-daub are more primitive plastering techniques usually created from locally sourced materials.
But at the end of the day, it’s all a form of plastering.
We won’t go into all of the details now. Although, Wikipedia has a rather comprehensive article that you can read here if you want to explore deeper.
Our focus today is on plaster in interior ceilings and walls that you may find in your home, known as “lath and plaster.”
Before we can talk about plaster finishes on walls and ceilings in homes, we want to contrast it with what you may be more familiar with in today’s modern homes- drywall.
Drywall is known by many names, such as gypsum board (or gyp board), plasterboard, wallboard, or the brand name Sheetrock®. So if you’re wondering what the difference between Sheetrock® and drywall is, the answer is— nothing.
It’s essentially the same thing.
In the scheme of the built environment (including houses), drywall is a relatively newer invention. The earliest form of drywall was available in the USA around the late 1800s. It was patented as “Sackett Board,” named after its inventor, Augustine Sackett.
USG Corporation purchased Sackett Board soon afterward. They made various improvements to it over the years. In 1917, they released their upgraded version under the brand name Sheetrock®.
Many people still call it Sheetrock® today, but this is specifically USG’s brand name for drywall.
(Psst…As a side note, many brand names become common household names for products. We thought this was a fun read if you want to really geek out).
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Drywall was not very popular at first, as it was considered a substandard, cheap, and gimmicky product. Many builders would not adopt its use. Instead, they preferred the familiar, time-tested use of lath and plaster. In the meantime, USG tried to market Sheetrock® as a fire-resistant product that required less time and labor to install but with limited success.
But then WW2 happened.
Massive labor shortages, followed by the baby boom and resulting housing boom, changed the game. The advantages of drywall became more evident, and it eventually became the dominant product by the late 1960s.
New interior plaster installs are rare today, except for the occasional installation on some custom-built, high-end residences and commercial buildings. So you’ll mainly see drywall installed inside in most modern homes.
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Although it’s rare to find newer homes with plaster walls and ceilings, many older homes in Central Florida have lath and plaster instead of drywall.
Our personal home was built in 1967 and has plaster and metal lath walls and ceilings. It’s actually what’s known as a hybrid veneer-plaster system that uses a gypsum-based “rock lath” base layer, instead of the even older method using a scratch/base plaster coat over wood lath strips (as illustrated in the graphic above). Then, the rock lath is covered with an expanded (i.e. “diamond”) metal lath, and finally two coats of plaster.
The first plaster coat is a thick and rather rough “brown coat,” and the second one is a thinner white “finish/veneer coat” with a sanded texture (such as USG Diamond – Sanded). This final white coat is what you actually see on the walls and ceilings when standing in the room.
We love it for many reasons. Plaster is beautiful and full of character, with superior sound-deadening properties and moisture resistance versus drywall. The feel of authentic craftsmanship permeates the home.
The downside is that it’s tough to find tradespersons with the knowledge to repair it. While there may be more, we only know of one serious plaster repair company in the Tampa Bay region.
And they are always booked solid for months.
A word of caution: Plaster requires skill and patience. Many drywall contractors also claim to be able to fix plaster. But more often than not, they’ll use materials more familiar to them (i.e., drywall and joint compounds) in their work. This can lead to mixed (and sometimes pitiful) results. Don’t believe us? See what the folks over at Walls & Ceilings say about it.
Just be sure to do your research before hiring someone to repair your plaster. Make sure it is up to your standards.
If you want to attempt a DIY repair on plaster, it is possible. Here’s our favorite teacher Leah again, with some tips on how to repair plaster walls. There are also great tutorials and tips we’ve found on Old House Online, as well as from the Master of Plaster folks, and at Old Town Home.
We hope this helps some of you homeowners and home buyers out there understand the differences between plaster and drywall. Please don’t be afraid of plaster or deterred by it.
In our opinion, real plaster is excellent, charming, and worth preserving!
Whether you’re a homeowner, a real estate agent, or a fellow home inspector, you need to recognize this one specific method of improper subpanel bonding. It can be dangerous and it’s just something you don’t want to mess around with.
Here it is: Your ground and neutral wires definitely need to bond (or connect) together. But this is ONLY allowed in the main panel— never a subpanel, or anywhere else in the home.
This is a very common mistake we see in the electrical part of your inspection. Although some “professionals” have made this mistake by failing to remove the bonding screw/strap, it’s usually more a sign of amateur electrical work.
That’s why today, we’re going to go over how to properly layout your subpanel wiring and what can happen if it’s not fixed right away.
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Inspectors, you can probably sit this one out. But as a brief overview, your subpanel is one of the electrical boxes at your house (sometimes it’s in the garage). Not all homes have them, as some only have a main panel only. But if you have 2 or more panels, the one with the main “service disconnect” (i.e. shut-off) is the main panel, while any other panels are considered subpanels.
You may have also heard the main panel referred to as a service panel. This is the area where you have complete control over the power within your home.
One flick of a switch, and you can turn out all the lights.
A subpanel has its own breaker switches, but not the main. These typically control specific rooms or appliances in your home or other buildings on your property.
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In both of these panel boxes, there are four types of wires:
The hot wires carry the energy to a fixture (e.g. a wall plug or the stove in your house). For a 120V circuit, it will be just one hot wire. If it’s 240V (e.g. a dryer, water heater, or range/stove), then two (2) hot wires will go to those fixtures.
The neutral wires will then carry the energy (technically known as current/amperage) from those circuits back to the panel. This effectively completes the electric circuit, thus generating power.
Congratulations, you now understand how electricity works (and with just three wires)!
So what’s the point of the fourth one— the ground wire?
This one provides safety.
Hot and neutral wires are dangerous because they’re constantly running electricity through them. When you have something like frayed wiring cords or loose wire connections, it can cause those wires and their electrical currents to get mixed up. This is what causes short circuits.
Short circuits can emit sparks and cause fires. This is why we always recommend that you keep your appliances and electrical devices up-to-date.
However, any potential short circuits are derailed with a ground wire because this sends all those faulty electrical currents right back to the source, or the ground.
This is why you need to separate the ground and neutral. But more on that in a second.
The main point is that the ground wire generally isn’t used at all as part of the normal circuit operation. It’s a backup (also known as a secondary or earth ground) and is only there for safety in case the neutral fails. This way, the electricity doesn’t end up energizing the body of the appliance… or a human body.
In fact, neutral wires are also called grounded conductors because they technically act as a ground as well. Consider them the primary ground. Actually, on older homes (the kind with only 2-prong outlets), there often was no additional ground.
We have come a long way!
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Your main panel and your subpanel both contain those four sets of wires.
So here’s the difference and how you can spot novice electrical work.
Below is the anatomy of the main service panel. Code Check’s image shows how the neutral wire (white) is connected to the bus bar on the right. Further down that bus bar is a screw or strap that “bonds” it to the metal bar that leads to the left side of the panel. And on the left side of the panel, you can see the ground wires (also known as the EGC/GEC’s). This effectively bonds (or connects) the neutral and ground together in the same service enclosure. But remember, this can only happen in the main/service panel – never the subpanel.
In Code Check’s subpanel wiring diagram, you can see that those neutral wires are not bonded. This means that the neutral wires are not connected to the ground wires. They both have their own individual paths in the subpanel.
So, why do you separate the ground and neutral in a subpanel? Because when we bond them together, it gives your neutral wire (the one carrying electrical currents BACK to the source) multiple pathways.
That’s how the chassis of some equipment will become energized. The effect can be as seemingly harmless as “I touched the fridge, and it shocked me!” To far more serious matters.
The most common issues that come from not separating ground and neutral wires in a subpanel are:
As we mentioned before, ground wires help prevent short circuits, therefore preventing things like getting a shock and house fires.
A short circuit usually happens when there are loose or frayed wires. But when there are numerous electrical faults or massive amounts of electricity coursing through these bad wires, adding a third wire to the same pathway— the ground wire— creates more risk to these events.
Thus, the ground wire needs to have a limitless path (free of the neutral wire’s electrical currents) so that it can safely prevent short circuits.
Corrosion can happen because of improper subpanel bonding as well. This is because the excessive electrical currents (coming from the hot, neutral, and ground wires) can accelerate the rate at which metal pipes or buildings start to erode.
Check out this video for a visual!
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This is work for a qualified electrician. It’s often a simple repair, but needs to be left to the professionals.
The difference may be as simple as having a green screw or bonding strap connected in your service panel – and not having it connected in the subpanel. Sometimes we will see neutrals and ground wires terminated on the same bus bar in the subpanels as well, often when a novice adds additional circuits (such as in the garage). This is effectively bonding the ground and neutrals together. You can do this in the main panel, but never should do it in a subpanel.
Yep, separating your ground wire from the neutrals in your subpanel can be as simple as that. However, we always recommend having an experienced electrician take a look.
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If you want to make sure you’re paying a fair price for your investment, a home inspection is a must. The point of this in-depth home analysis is to make sure all the plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and structural aspects of your new home are in working order. If they’re not, you may have some room to negotiate your offer price, or move on to another prospective property.
But how long does a home inspection take, and when can you expect to get the results of the report?
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Since most buyers want to be present during the inspection, it’s natural to want to know how long the process takes. On average, you should expect the home inspection to take 2-2.5 hours.
With the market the way it is right now, many buyers are opting out of a home inspection. This could turn out to be a huge mistake because you may end up eating the costs of much-needed home repairs.
That’s why we recommend not only getting a cost-effective home inspection but also encourage you to be present so that you can ask any questions. At this time, if you choose not to come due to safety measures, you can expect the home inspection report within 24-48 hours.
We also understand how stressful a home purchase is, so if you choose to be present, know that we have your safety in mind. We require practicing social distancing and properly worn masks at all times. We’ll even have hand sanitizer handy!
Now, there are many opinions out there about how long a home inspection should take. Some say 3-4 hours, but most won’t be that long. But we have had some that have taken all day! A few factors will slow down in inspection, so keep these in mind while you’re touring the house for the first time.
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What can make a home inspection go from a few hours to an all-day endeavor? Well, the process is primarily based on four things: size, age, and the condition of the home play a big role. Excessive clutter and personal items in the way matter, too!
So, a small condo can be as quick as an hour, while a large home can take 4-6 hours… or even more! The average size house (3BR/2BA) takes about 2-3 hours.
Also, keep in mind that the pool/spa, wind mitigation, thermal imaging, and irrigation inspections can add to the time frame in which we complete the examination.
With great age comes great responsibility. So we do our due diligence! Older homes tend to have more issues, so we make sure to work through the house, keeping a keen eye out for things like plumbing, electrical, roof, and mechanical discrepancies.
If there are currently residents occupying the home, that can really slow down how long it takes. We’ve had some homes so bloated with “stuff” that it took a while just because it was tough to navigate.
Keep in mind that home inspectors don’t move personal items, which is why a cluttered home can make the job take twice as long.
This article is primarily about the general home inspection. However, additional inspections requested may add to the time the visit takes.
Home insurance companies require a four-point inspection for older homes 30+ years old. A four-point inspection is limited to only a few systems, so it takes about 30-45 minutes. You will also likely have a wind mitigation inspection performed, which could result in discounts on your insurance. This inspection also takes additional steps and time to perform.
A general home inspection requires many more systems and components to be inspected. This type of inspection requires at least twice as long. When the other insurance inspections are bundled with this, it can add at least an hour.
Don’t make the mistake of skipping out on a full inspection to save time and money, though. These insurance inspections are not a substitute for a complete general home inspection. A thorough report of the condition of your prospective home can be the difference of thousands of dollars less by the time you sit at the closing table.
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The inspection time period occurs after your offer is accepted. You should have had a clause in your sales contract that says the final purchase is contingent on the findings of a professional home inspection. And while no property can technically “fail” an assessment, if your inspector identifies structural and/or major system flaws (especially anything safety-related), you’ll have more information to either negotiate a more favorable price, or even walk-away.
The seller and the buyer will come up with a mutually agreed-upon time to get this inspection done. Then, the buyer schedules the inspection, and we come out and do what we do best! The default time frame to get an inspection completed is 15-days per the contract. However, especially in a competitive market, your contract may have a shorter time allotted, so be sure to know exactly how long you have. And don’t wait to the last minute to schedule. We can often do an inspection as soon as the next day, but in busy times the schedules can fill up quickly!
Here is our complete home inspection checklist. Once the inspection starts, you will know the state of everything from the home’s roof to the plumbing after just a few hours!
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What is GFCI protection, and why do homeowners need to know about it?
You’ll often know if your outlets have this protection from a simple glance. Nowadays, these features are commonplace, so you may not have given them a second thought. These outlets will usually have a “GFCI protected” sticker on them, or will have the Test and Reset button placed in between the outlet sockets.
Look around your house right now. Do you notice any? How about outlets that don’t have this feature? If your outlets don’t have the buttons, that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have the protection.
Only the first outlet in the circuit needs it, and then all other outlets downstream will also be protected. Plus in some instances, a GFCI breaker may be installed in the panel, in lieu of being at the outlet.
GFCI protection has only been around a few decades, so if you live in an older home, you may find that most of your outlets don’t have these square buttons where we would expect them today. This poses a dangerous risk (which we’ll tell you about in just a sec), and you should consider an electrical upgrade as soon as possible.
Even if you do have updated outlets, it’s not uncommon for these protections to become faulty. This is why you should be testing them in your home every month.
But don’t scroll down just yet. If you need to know how to test a GFCI outlet, then it’s very important to understand what it is, why you need it, and yes— how it works.
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GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. In simple terms, this is just fancy electrical protection that prevents you from being shocked. That’s why NEC (National Electrical Code) requires GFCI protection for every room at a home that is close to a water source.
As of 2021, many spaces now require GFCI protection. Back in 1971, only swimming pools and the exterior required GFCI protection. Bathrooms were added in 1975, and then garages in 1978. Hot tubs/spas were added to the list in 1981.
Later in 1987 kitchens, unfinished basements, spa bathtubs and boathouses were added. It used to be that only outlets within 6-feet of the kitchen sink needed GFCI protection, but that was later expanded to include outlets serving all countertop surfaces.
Outlets under the kitchen sink generally still do not need GFCI protection, however.
1990 saw the addition of crawlspaces and in 1993, wet bars were added. Things remain unchanged until 2005 when laundry outlets were added to the requirement.
Today, nearly all outlets near swimming pool areas, the exterior, kitchens, crawl spaces, garages, boathouses, basements, and laundry areas should be equipped with this protection.
Essentially, a ground fault circuit interrupters must be used for all of the following except:
The NEC updates their requirements every three years. The electrical section of the Florida Building Code (FBC) is based on the NEC, so be mindful of that if you’re a homeowner.
Also, keep in mind that your local building department may have additional requirements. We always recommend checking with your local building department for the most current and accurate code information.
Have you ever been afraid of getting shocked while plugging in a hairdryer or maybe a toaster? GFCI protection directly addresses these concerns.
Pretty much what it can do is sense a change in electrical currents that prompts the outlet to switch off immediately. Maybe you have you’re reading your Kindle in the bathtub, but you have it charging in a nearby outlet. To save you from potentially shocking yourself should you drop it in the water, the GFCI will turn itself off in about 20-30 milliseconds.
125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-amp receptacles
Absolutely nothing. We sometimes use GFCI and GFI (ground fault interrupters) interchangeably, but they are the same device.
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI’s) are even more modern than GFCI. They came into homes around 1999, and they look similar to GFCIs, with the same test and reset buttons.
The main difference between these two is that GFCI’s protect you from an electrical shock, whereas AFCI protects your house from potential fires caused by arcing & sparking.
GFCI’s keep control of ground faults while AFCI interrupts “arcing faults” that usually come from bad wiring.
Ground faults can cause bodily harm, whereas bad wiring (such as arc faults) are responsible for starting more than 28,000 home fires, according to The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
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Can you install a GFCI outlet on your own? Most of the time— yes. If any of these outlets stop working in your home, it’s crucial to replace them right away.
Especially if the faulty outlet is in a wet location such as a bathroom or kitchen. But if you have any doubts or discomfort working with electricity, an electrician really should perform this work.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how to install a GFCI outlet:
Step 1: Turn off the circuit breaker.
Step 2: Remove the outlet cover and the switch with a screwdriver (Pro-Tip: test the outlet with an electrical outlet testing tool to make sure it is completely off and no currents are flowing through the wires)
Step 3: Disconnect the “hot wire” with (right side, black wire, brass screw)
Step 4: Disconnect the neutral wire (left side, white wire, silver screw)
Step 5: Disconnect the grounding wire (green or tan insulation and screw)
Step 6: Replace the outlet with GFCI, making sure to follow the instructions on the package and use the appropriate screws for each wire.
If you have fewer than 2 wires or more than 3 in your old outlet, call an electrician as these outlets will require a few extra steps.
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A standard GFCI outlet costs anywhere from $15 to $50 at your local hardware store. You’ll need to know the amp and voltage of each outlet you are replacing before going the DIY route.
Ground-fault circuit interrupters absolutely need to be installed by an electrician when there is anything more or less than three wires. We also don’t recommend installing these yourself if you have little home improvement experience (there’s still the risk of being shocked, after all!).
If you hire an electrician for your GFCI protection, the average cost to replace a single outlet with a licensed professional is about $120 per receptacle.
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You should be testing your GFCI protection outlet every single month.
Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Plug a lamp, phone charger, or some other small electrical device into your outlet
Step 2: Press the “Test” button. If you hear a clicking sound, this indicates the circuit has tripped, and the lamp or phone should turn off.
Step 3: Press the “Reset” button (it should have popped out when you hit “Test”). If the lamp or phone turns back on, then your GFCI protector is working just fine! If not, try these next steps:
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If your GFCI button won’t push in, the solution may be as simple as pushing it harder to reach the unit. If still it doesn’t reset, there may be another GFCI on the same circuit keeping you from being able to reset it.
More than one on a circuit can sometimes be finicky. So go ahead and trip that second one, and then try to reset the first one.
Lastly, head to the service panel to see if you need to reset the circuit breaker. If all else fails, you probably either have a faulty GFCI or even a true ground-fault condition. In this case, further repairs are needed so you should call a qualified electrician.
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