Maintenance Tips

Professional Painting Tips

Test GFCI Receptacles and Breakers

Maintenance Checklists

After you move in

Monthly

Every six months

Annually

These helpful tips come from our exclusive 70+ page Bonded Builders Homeowners Maintenance Manual.

Test GFCI Receptacles & Breakers

GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacles and breakers should be tested once a month to insure that they are operating properly.

To test a receptacle with two buttons - one marked TEST and one marked RESET - you can push the TEST button on the device and check to make sure the power goes off. Then push the RESET button and check to see that the power goes on again. If the receptacle fails to turn off or to come back on, have it replaced.

To test either a GFCI receptacle or a standard receptacle that is protected by either a GFCI receptacle or a GFCI breaker up the line from it, you can use a GFCI plug tester. These testers look just like regular plug testers but have a button that you push to trip the GFCI. Check the indicator lights when you plug it in, and make sure they indicate that the receptacle is properly wired. Push the button and check the lights again - they should all be off. Before unplugging the tester, reset the protecting receptacle or breaker, and check to see that the indicator lights now indicate proper connections again.

To test a GFCI circuit breaker, you can either push the TEST button built into it or short the equipment that it is protecting. If it's protecting receptacles, you can use your GFCI plug tester in those receptacles. If it's protecting some other piece of equipment, such as your hot tub, use the built-in button. Remember that to reset a circuit breaker, regardless of whether you tripped it with its test button or with your plug tester, you need to turn the breaker OFF and then back ON.