Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) Breakers

Similar to GFCI breakers that protect your electrical circuits from moisture in the environment, arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers sense hazardous arcing (basically sparking). They’ve been required by the NEC since 2002 for new wiring in bedrooms, and since 2008 have been required in most rooms in the home. Notable exceptions include rooms that would already have GFCI outlets, including the garage, bathroom, kitchen and laundry room.

AFCI breakers are designed to trip under hazardous conditions, keeping your home and family safe from electric shocks and fires. They react (in thousandths of a second) to situations including:

• Overload – electrical usage begins to overheat wires
• Short circuiting – high current resulting from a fault on the circuit
• Overheating breaker – the breaker itself has poor contacts or connections
• Ground faults – leakage off the intended circuit (also includes shock hazards, neutral to ground faults, etc)
• Arc faults – sparking on the circuits of the lights or appliances hooked up to it

After your AFCI breaker trips, it’s important to figure out which of the five situations above set it off.

• If you can reset the breaker immediately after it trips, and it doesn’t trip again, you don’t need to worry about why it shut off in the first place – it was probably a one-time event.
• If the AFCI breaker trips again as soon as you reset it, you probably have a short circuit or a ground-fault.
• If the AFCI breaker trips again more than a minute (and even up to a month) later, you may have an overload, an overheating breaker or an arc-fault.

AFCI breakers are crucial for keeping your family and your home safe from dangerous arc faults. If you want to keep your family safe and keep your home up to code by installing AFCI breakers in your home, call Colonial Electric!

Why call Colonial Electric to install AFCI breakers in your home?

• Our Electrical Experience

  For over 40 years, we have provided homeowners and businesses throughout the Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland area with the best electrical installation, repair and services in the area. Whether you need to install an electrical system for a new home addition or need to repair or replace an electrical outlet, we will handle your electrical service request with professionalism and competence.

• 24/7 Emergency Electricians

  At Colonial Electric, we know emergencies happen at the most inconvenient times. That’s why we offer emergency electrical service 24 hours, 7 days a week. If you have an electrical emergency we are here for you day and night. We reply to electrical emergencies immediately, so call us right away if you need emergency assistance.

• Licensed, Bonded & Insured Electricians

  Why hire just any electrical company, when you can work with local, credible electrical experts? At Colonial Electric, all of our electricians are licensed, bonded and insured to make sure your electrical project is completed smoothly and professionally. Rest assured that your electrical project is in capable hands when you hire our team!

• Wide Range of Electrical Services

  From new kitchen lighting installation to exhaust fans and AFCI breakers, we do it all. We are your single source for all your electrical needs. No project is too big or too small for us!

Call Colonial Electric for hot tub wiring or hot tub installation in Baltimore or Annapolis, Maryland today!