Safety First! The Why and How Behind GFCI Outlets

You have probably noticed that you have a couple different types of outlets in your home. Have you ever wondered exactly how they work differently? Any place that you have electricity within a few feet of a water source, should have a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets. They have a very important feature to help maximize the safety of your electrical system in your home or business. As electricians at Lake of the Ozarks, we would like to share with you a little bit about how they work and why you want to make sure your home has them properly installed where needed. If you are interested in knowing how GFCIs keep your home and family safer, keep reading to learn more.

What GFCI Outlets Are

GFCIs are used in high moisture areas to protect your home's electrical system e.g. in the event of water causing an electrical short. They are an important way to protect you and your family from electrical shock. If you’re not sure what they look like, or if you have them, just look for outlets that have two buttons between the plug-ins. One will say “test” and the other will say “reset”.

How They Work

GFCI outlets constantly sense the electrical current and react if there is a surge or imbalance. When that happens the GFCI will shut off electrical power to the outlet. This is to prevent the potential for electrical shock or house fire. They have a faster response time than your fuses or circuit breakers and give an added layer of protection for you and your home.

Where You Need Them

You don’t need GFCIs everywhere. They should be in places that could potentially have high moisture or direct water contact. Specifically, here are some examples where you want to make sure you have GFCI outlets installed by a qualified electrician.

  • Outdoors
  • Bathrooms
  • Pool Areas
  • Kitchens
  • Wet Bar
  • Coffee Bar
  • Unfinished basements
  • Laundry room
  • Garages
  • Outbuildings

Test them regularly

It’s important to check your GFCIs on a regular basis. Especially after a storm, or otherwise every few months. When you push the “test” button, make sure that it cuts the power off. You can do so by plugging in a cell phone charger or lamp and seeing if the power is disconnected once you push the “test” button. Then just press the “reset” button to reactivate the outlet.

If you notice that you do not have GFCIs in areas listed above or other places that are high moisture areas, give our team at Catalyst Electric a call. We can help you feel more secure knowing that your family and your home are protected with GFCI outlets. If you need to bring your home up to code, or have any other electrical needs, we will get you taken care of. If you’d like to stay in touch and hear more tips about electrical services Lake of the Ozarks, we have links to our social media channels below where you can follow us on your favorite platform.


Quality Work With Integrity

 Catalyst Electric: Best electrician service at the Lake of the Ozarks  


1106 Runabout Drive
Osage Beach, Mo 65065
(573) 552-8488 -Phone
(573) 552-8248 -Fax



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Location: Osage Beach, MO 65065, USA

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