What is an AFCI? Why do I have to have these in my home?

An AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) is a device that is designed to recognize arcing characteristics that may occur in an electrical circuit. These arcs would be something outside of what normally occurs like using a light switch, motor operated appliances starting stopping and the like.  These devices are a requirement of Section 210.12 of the NEC (National Electrical Code) for most branch circuits that are within a home, apartment, dormitory units, etc. The AFCI is available in a receptacle device and breaker device. The breaker type is the one that is most commonly installed in newly built homes due to the fact that it will detect the arcs that may occur in “series”, such as a single wire that is damaged, and arcs in “parallel” such as an arc that happens from one wire to another. With both of these features, the breaker is labeled as “Dual Function AFCI”. The AFCI is responsible for detecting these arcs and disconnecting power to stop the build up of heat that would reach a high enough level to ignite nearby combustible material, thus preventing fires. You can visit the following site to see more information about these devices: https://www.afcisafety.org/

You can also see this video on our Facebook page where we utilized an AFCI and explained the way it operates.