It’s in your house, but you’ve probably never thought about it before. You’d never want to use it, but if you did, you’d be grateful for it. Most of the time it seems like it does nothing, but when it does something, it may be saving your life. What is it? The humble Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, or GFCI.
This little device is almost undoubtedly part of the power outlets in your kitchen and bathroom. GFCIs are very important. They are constantly monitoring the flow of electricity to the outlet and will interrupt the power supply if the electrical flow has an imbalance. It’s a good idea to regularly test the GFCIs in your home to make sure they’re working properly. This is easy to do, thanks to the built-in testing buttons. All you have to do is plug something in and press the “TEST” button. If the device turns off, the GFCI is doing its’ job.
