The number of outlets needed for each room depends on the room’s usage, as well as the position of the furniture. Generally, one receptacle outlet per wall is enough for an average-size room (10ft by 12 ft). In larger rooms, the outlets should be spaced so that no point along the wall is more than six feet horizontally from an outlet.
Electrical Outlets Inspection – Grounding and Functionality
The outlets should also be inspected to determine whether they are functional and whether they are properly grounded. Checking the outlets can be done with a simple plug-in tester available at any electrical supply store. Check to see whether the outlet receptacles have two or three slots. Newer receptacles have three slots and are meant for use with appliances that have three-prong plugs, however two-prong plugs can be used as well. The third slot is a grounding connection for grounding appliances, which is very important for those appliances that are not double-insulated or have a metal casing. Still, many electrical appliances are double-insulated against shock hazards and do not require a grounding connection. These can be safely used with outlets that have only two slots.
In the bathrooms there should be at least one outlet that is readily accessible, though two would be preferable. Often there is just one outlet in the wall-mounted light fixture located above the medicine chest, which is usually rather uncomfortable to reach by anyone less than six feet tall. As a safety feature, the outlets and switches in the bathroom should not be reachable from the tub or shower.
Electrical Outlets Inspection – Ground-Fault Circuit Protection
Moreover, according to the National Electrical Code, receptacle outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, unfinished basements and crawl spaces must have ground-fault circuit protection. This can be done by using a special receptacle or a circuit breaker that has been equipped with a ground-fault interrupter (GFI).
A ground-fault interrupter is an electronic device that opens (trips) the circuit when it senses a potentially hazardous condition. It is extremely sensitive and operates very quickly, interrupting the power in less than ¼ second if it senses an imbalance in the electrical current. The quick response time in interrupting the power is considered fast enough to prevent injury to anyone in normal health.
On the other hand, ground-fault protection is not a retroactive requirement, so it will probably be missing in most homes. However, if there is a GFI circuit breaker or receptacle, it should be tested to see whether the fault-sensing function is operational. The units are equipped with manually operated test buttons that trip the circuit when they are operating properly. After testing, reset the GFI. These units should be tested each month to ensure proper operation.
While circuit breakers protect against ground faults, there is a new circuit breaker that protects against electrical arcing conditions, i.e. arc faults. Arc faults are considered one of the most common causes of fire in homes. The circuit breaker is an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) designed to detect arcing in electrical wiring. Once it detects an unexpected arcing, the AFCI disconnects the power before the arc generates a high temperature that can ignite nearby combustibles such as wood, paper and carpets.
Arc faults can occur in electrical cords or wiring where the insulation has become cracked or brittle, where it has been punctuated by staples or nails, at a loose connection where wires are attached to switches and outlets, or when furniture has been pushed up against plugs. This unit also comes equipped with a manually operated test button that will trip the circuit when it is operating properly. Just as with GFIs, it is recommended that all AFCIs be tested monthly.