By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
A friend suggested that I replace the ungrounded outlets in my bathroom with GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) outlets for added safety. He explained that GFI outlets can prevent electric shock where appliances are used near water. My contractor disagrees. He says that GFI outlets will not work with my old wiring system because there are no ground wires. Is there any way to add GFI protection to my bathroom outlets without the extra expense of installing ground wires? --Dave
Dear Dave,
Grounding is not necessary for proper function of a GFI (ground fault interrupter). GFI outlets function by detecting differences in amperage between the hot and neutral wires. When these amp levels are not equal, the GFI device assumes that there is a safety problem and promptly disconnects the power.
A GFI outlet requires hot and neutral wires only. In older homes, where ground wires are not installed, GFI outlets can significantly improve the safety of the home at very minimal cost. I recommend adding GFI protection not only at the bathroom outlets, but also at the kitchen, laundry, wetbar, garage, pool, spa, exterior, and any other places where electricity is likely to be used near water.
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