When it comes to protecting your home and your family from electrical fires, prevention is key. An Arc-fault Circuit Interrupter, or AFCI, is an excellent way to upgrade your home’s safety and help prevent electrical fires. AFCI devices protect against arc-faults, the leading cause of electrical fires. They immediately turn off the circuit if a potentially dangerous arc occurs. If you own a newer home, you probably already have some AFCI devices. Since 2002, The National Electrical Code requires them in the bedrooms of new homes, and, as of 2014, AFCI protection is now required throughout most of newly constructed homes.
What is an electrical arc?
An arc is caused when electric current passes through the air. While arcs sometimes occur normally in things like appliance motors, a dangerous and unintended arc-fault can happen when wire connections become damaged or worn. Even a small break in the insulation of a wire can cause a fire.
Why? It’s all about safety.
Each year there are nearly 50,000 residential electrical fires, causing over $1 billion in damage and 420 deaths. Anything you can do to protect against fire is worthwhile, and AFCIs could make a big difference in the safety of your home. The National Fire Protection Association estimates over 50% of those fires could be prevented by AFCI devices. And the numbers don’t lie. The United States Fire Administration reports that between 2006 and 2010, residential electrical fires went down by 18 percent! There is no doubt that AFCIs are leading the way in helping to contribute to this decline.
Interested in learning more about AFCI Devices?
Call the electricians at Mel Carr Electric to learn more about AFCI devices in your home. We are highly trained experts on today’s codes and we would love to discuss all of the ways we can help improve your home’s safety and give you peace of mind.