What are the 3 places in the house that must have GFCI?

GFCI receptacles are required in bathrooms, garages, crawl spaces, basements, laundry rooms and areas where a water source is present.

Which part of the house has to be GFCI protected?

The NEC requires GFCIs on all exterior and bathroom receptacles (another term for outlets). GFCIs are also required on all receptacles serving kitchen countertops. In laundry rooms and utility rooms, GFCIs should be installed on outlets within six feet of sinks, washing machines, and water heaters.

Where is a GFCI usually located?

GFCIs are generally installed where electrical circuits may accidentally come into contact with water. They are most often found in kitchens, bath and laundry rooms, or even out-of-doors or in the garage where electric power tools might be used.

How many GFCI outlets are required in a house?

The Case with Older Homes

GFCIs are designed to prevent electrocution, so they are essential for a family's safety. In most cases, multiple bathroom receptacles throughout a home can be protected by one GFCI outlet. Similarly, only one GFCI is generally needed to protect all kitchen counter outlets.

Do you need GFCI in every room?

We recommend you have GFCI outlets installed in your kitchen and all the bathrooms and any other location where water is used in the home. These are the areas where electrical shocks are most likely. We also recommend having GFCI outlets in each bedroom.

Where and Why Do We Need GFCI Protection?

Does a washing machine need a GFCI?

There is no specific requirement in the NEC for the washing machine itself to have GFCI protection. Section 210.52(F) requires a receptacle outlet to be installed for the laundry area and it must be supplied by a 20-ampere branch circuit in accordance with 210.11(C)(2).

Do all countertop outlets need to be GFCI?

In kitchens, all outlets that serve countertop surfaces should be equipped with GFCI outlet protection. That would include any outlets on walls, behind wet areas (sinks, etc.) that have features such as countertop breakfast bars (open counter surfaces above sinks used to sit at on the opposite side).

Does a microwave need a GFCI?

The microwave will work on a regular outlet, just not a GFCI.

Can you have 3 GFCI outlets same circuit?

You may use two or more GFCI rated outlets on one circuit if you like. However, if one trips or goes bad, all the outlets/GFCIs down the line will be affected. That's why you should test your GFCI's monthly to ensure proper operation.

Are GFCI required in kitchens?

What About My Kitchen? It's required by the NEC (National Electrical Code) that all 15 amp, 20 amp and 125 volt outlets within kitchen surface space be GFCI outlets. If you don't have these kinds of outlets in your kitchen, we can help you upgrade them.

Where do I need GFCI breakers?

It is recommended that GFCIs be installed in kitchens, baths, restrooms, laundry rooms, outdoors, or in the garages where electric power tools might be used. While some appliances have built-in GFCI protection, such as hair dryers, there are still many appliances not equipped with GFCI.

Where should GFCI outlets not be used?

Basements, including unfinished areas not intended for habitable rooms. Receptacles for permanent smoke detectors or alarm systems do not require GFCI protection. Bathrooms, all areas.

Can a GFCI be anywhere in a circuit?

A GFCI outlet can go anywhere in a circuit, but it will only provide protection for itself and outlets that are downstream of the GFCI. If you wish to protect a series of outlets with one GFCI, then it needs to be the first outlet in the series.

Where are GFCI outlets required OSHA?

Cord sets and receptacles in wet environments can potentially expose employees to severe ground-fault hazards. Therefore, in a built environment (non-construction) OSHA requires ground-fault circuit protection for all 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in bathrooms and on rooftops.

How many GFCI outlets do I need in kitchen?

Not all your kitchen outlets need to be the GFCIs, but they are required to be if they're within six feet of a kitchen sink or if they serve a countertop. Near laundry room sinks. Any receptacles within 6 feet of a sink or washing machine should be GFCIs.

How many outlets can you put after a GFCI?

There's no limit. A standard GFCI will protect up to 20 amps, drawn from any combination of receptacles, either the built-in one or any number of additional ones connected to its load terminals.

Is it OK to replace all outlets with GFCI?

You can replace almost any electrical outlet with a GFCI outlet. Correctly wired GFCIs will also protect other outlets on the same circuit.

Does refrigerator need to be on GFCI?

Here is the breakdown governing refrigerators and GFCI protection (according to the NEC 2011 Handbook): All commercial buildings/kitchens are required to have GFCI for refrigerators. See NEC 210.8(B)(2). In a Dwelling Unit (house or apartment) refrigerators located inside the kitchen do NOT have to have a GFCI.

Should a refrigerator be connected to a GFCI?

Does a Refrigerator Need a GFCI? Since refrigerators are often connected to the water supply and almost always create moisture, it may be in your best interest to connect this appliance to a GFCI. Moreover, a refrigerator uses a lot of power, which means it's more prone to causing power surges.

Does a stove need a GFCI?

In dwellings, the code now extends the GFCI requirement to 125-volt and 250-volt receptacles in finished and unfinished basements, within six feet of a sink, and laundry areas. For example, with this new criteria, electric dryers and kitchen ranges within six feet of a sink will require GFCI.

How many GFCI outlets are required in a bathroom?

According to the National Electric Code (NEC), it requires a minimum of one GFCI-protected outlet per bathroom. The national recommendation is more than one, like two or three. You get to decide how many outlets you want to protect but have to have a minimum of one in your bathroom.

How far does GFCI need to be from kitchen sink?

The National Electrical Code requires outlets be installed in a kitchen that has a sink 12 inches wide and 24 inches deep. That outlet must also be within 2 feet of the sink. Bathrooms must have at least one electrical outlet, it must be GFCI, and it must be within 3 feet of the sink.

What appliances require GFCI?

Vending machines, cord-and-plug-connected spray washers, drinking fountains, auto vacuum and tire inflation machines installed for the public require GFCI protection.

Do hardwired appliances need GFCI?

Sometimes the NEC requires ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection for certain receptacles based on their voltage, ampacity and phase characteristics. Other times the NEC requires GFCI protection for a specific appliance regardless of its voltage or if it's hard wired.

Should a washer and dryer be plugged into a GFCI outlet?

The washing machine outlet itself does not require a GFCI outlet, however any outlet within 6 feet of the outside edge of the sink in laundry rooms require that it be GFCI protected.