Whether you’re building a home, renovating a room, or simply updating faulty outlets from decades past, there are many types of electrical outlets you should consider before hiring an electrician. With different functions and features for safety, knowing what’s what will help you decide which works for you and your home.
5 Types of Electrical Outlets
GFCI Outlets
GFCI outlets are one of the more common outlets used in and around modern homes. GFCI, which means ground fault circuit interrupter, is designed to cut the source of an outlet’s power when it detects either a ground fault or short circuit in electrical flow. Often installed outdoors and in kitchens, bathrooms, and garages, these outlets are designed with safety in mind.
AFCI Outlets
Another outlet designed for safety is the lesser-known AFCI. The job of an arc fault circuit interrupter is to guard against electrical arcing, which occurs when electricity flows from one wire or conductor to another. Arcing is a major source of house fire and often occurs in outdated outlets in older homes.
20A Outlets
As energy needs soar higher and higher, the 20A outlet was designed to live up to demand. Capable of supporting 25% more power than most other outlets, the 20A is most often used in kitchens or garages, even laundry rooms. Any place with power-hungry appliances. You can identify a 20A by the extra notch in the left-side prong. Of the many types of electrical outlets out there, this may come in handy for those rooms.
USB Outlets
USB outlets are exactly what they sound like: outlets with USB ports. Need we explain any further? There are a variety of these outlets available on the market, and depending on your needs, can offer great convenience when you want to charge your phone without unplugging a lamp or electronic device. The ports are aligned so you can have multiple devices plugged in simultaneously, so you never have to compromise on your use of power in any given moment.
Smart Outlets
If you’re interested in making your house more connected, smart outlets offer great function for the tech-savvy homeowner. Smart outlets can be connected to your smartphone, giving you the ability to turn on and off lights, electronics, or even that curling iron you forgot to unplug when you were rushing out the door to dinner.
No matter the reason you’re updating the outlets in your home, a combination of the above can improve the safety and functionality of your space. And when it’s time for the install, give Eric Krise Electric a call for homes and businesses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware: 856.769.3932.
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