During recent home inspections for our buyers we represent questions involving AFCI (known as Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) have arisen several times. AFCIs are newly-developed electrical devices designed to protect against fires caused by arcing faults in the home electrical wiring.

TREC Licensed inspectors in Texas have been reporting the lack of AFCI (known as Arc Fault) in home inspection reports now since 02/2009 due to the new Standards of Practice requirement; this even applies to homes built before AFCI was invented, much like the case of GFCI. (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters)

AFCI has been around since 1999, the requirement was revamped in 2002 for new homes and then another expanded requirement in 2008 was introduced by the NEC (National Electric Code). A good inspector on older homes should be able to help set the right perspective as this is a recommendation to upgrade to a "best practice", newer standard, but is still a grandfather type clause and it is common buyer practice not to expect sellers to bring their homes up to code.  However we advise buyers to think Safety First.

So what is Arc Fault?

An "arc fault circuit interrupter" (AFCI), is a new type of circuit breaker designed to detect sparking in an electrical system, and to shut down the affected circuit before it causes a fire. The jury is still out on whether AFCIs actually save lives and property.

A household circuit can cause fire in two ways: circuit overload and sparking. Standard circuit breakers or fuses usually protect an overloaded circuit, but the breakers may not trip from intermittent sparking. For example, if you pierce or sever an electrical cable while hammering a nail into a wall, you could create an intermittent short, resulting in sparking. If the breaker does not trip, a fire could start.

What's the Difference Between an AFCI and a GFCI?

A GFCI, or a "ground-fault circuit interrupter," is typically installed in areas with a high risk for electrical shock, such as bathrooms. A GFCI protects people from electric shock, while an AFCI protects homes from electrical fires.

Is it working?

According to our inspector sources it will take several more years before statistics reflect anything concrete about how well AFCIs function. In the meantime, it is a good assumption that AFCIs reduce the chances of electrical spark-induced fires. Electrical authorities do plan, however, to ultimately mandate every breaker in your electrical panel as an AFCI or a GFCI, or a device that covers both, protecting people from electric shock and homes from electrical fires.