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An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) is circuit breaker designed to prevent fires by detecting an unintended electrical arc and disconnecting the power before the arc starts a fire. An AFCI must distinguish between a harmless arc that occurs incidental to when switches are operated or snapped, plugs are disconnected from appliances, or an undesirable arc that can occur, for example, in a lamp cord that has a broken conductor in the cord.
Arc faults in a home are one of the leading causes for household fires. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) estimated that in 2010, in the United States, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring defects. These fires resulted in over 1.5 billion dollars in property damage, in over 400 deaths and over 1,500 injuries that year.
Ordinary conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and short circuits. They do not protect against arcing conditions that can produce an instantaneous peak current with temperatures of several thousand degrees. The circuit breaker reads the averaged heat over the full cycle of current rather than the concentrated heat that occur at the point of the arc. Even though the arc has occurred, there will be less current drawn than is necessary to trip a conventional breaker. This is the origin of many house fires.
An AFCI is selective so that normal arcs do not cause it to trip. The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors the current and discriminates between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the AFCI opens its internal contacts, thus de-energizing the circuit and reducing the potential for a fire to occur. An AFCI should not trip during normal arcing conditions, which can occur when a switch is opened or a plug is pulled from a receptacle.
AFCIs resemble a (GFCI) (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter Device) in that they both have a test button although it is important to distinguish between the two. GFCIs are designed to protect against electrical shock of a person, while AFCIs are primarily designed to protect against arcing and fire.
The common situation that sometimes abruptly surfaces: after doing a Central New Jersey home inspection and returning to the house to pick up a radon canister only to be confronted by a disgruntled homeowner telling you that you had made life very difficult for them. All too often I hear, ”that it wasn’t required when the house was first built so why even mention it during the home inspection.” Or the realtor may say that there is no need to recommend future changes, that no more is needed.
When I go out to do a home inspection I need to do the job as I see fit. I will report things as I see them but will also mention and include in the report findings “safety upgrades” as they come up, especially in older homes. When talking with other home inspectors I find they are faced with the same sense of ingratitude coming from the selling realtor and/or the homeowner. Even though something wasn’t required when the older home was first built, I feel the home inspection “ is the perfect time to educate people” in regard to how to improve the condition of their Central New Jersey home.
My area of expertise is home construction and design in New Jersey. I have spent many years educating myself in this field of endeavor. I consider myself a generalist. but also a house expert who understands how the structural, mechanical and electrical systems should work together in a house. Many homes, old and new, were built with minimum standards. The average person may not understand how& when a house is supposed to be maintained. They are not house experts. That’s where I come in.
I don’t see why anyone would have a problem with a home inspector “recommending” safety upgrades? If an older home doesn’t have GFCI protection, I always recommend them. I also ask my clients if they actually know what GFCI’s are used for. If they don’t, it’s “time for me to educate” them about the importance of these modern safety devices.
I always check to see if handrails are up to today’s current safety standards here in New Jersey because- this is always a big safety issue. Or egress windows that meet minimum requirements- providing an escape-way in case of a fire. Of course garage doors need to be installed correctly and openers need to have proper auto-reversing function fully operational. And the garage floor and living space floor should not be at the same height- that could allow gasoline fumes to enter into the house during an accidental spill and cause a fire or explosion. And any access hatches into the attic that would affect the integrity of the firewall.
Many times I see that in older homes that there is no division/or fire safety wall that separates the attic area between the living space of the house and the garage. The installation of an attic fire wall between the garage and the home’s living space is an important concern. I know of a whole block of older townhouses that recently burned down in New Brunswick, NJ because there were no fire walls. Installing a firewall could save the rest of the house or buildings from going up in flames. It could help provide needed time for the fire department to respond to the emergency and save the home or buildings and it’s inhabitants from disaster.
Today, Tub and Shower enclosures can be wonderfully decorated with all sorts of attractive wall tiles. Although a large variety of coverings can be easily purchased such as fiberglass and acrylic panels, ceramic tiles and natural stone tiles are most used today. Most enclosures that I normally inspect make use of either ceramic tiles or a plastic/acrylic wall coverings.
Bath shower
During normal showering, water is sprayed on the ceramic tiles or some other water-proofed material. If the shower wall is well maintained, the water is directed down the wall and into the drain. Typical maintenance consists of routine grouting and caulking and sealing the inside enclosure corners with a waterproof caulking. The exterior areas where the tub connects to the tiles will also need to be sealed or caulked.
Bath shower stall enclosure
However when small cracks or unsealed grout joints in the ceramic tile surfaces develop, usually with the passage of time, water may have a tendency to penetrate behind the tiles through deficient grout joints and cracks. Leaks that are allowed to persist without repair can often lead to deterioration of the wall under the tiles and also permit damp areas where mold will grow. I have seen, much to my amazement, drywall that has been painted over, but would consider this to be inadequate and an installation defect.
Caulking maintenance needed
That’s why it’s so important to have an approved substrate material installed under the tiles. If a small leak is unnoticed or left unrepaired, the wall behind the tiles can become rotted and will have to be replaced. Than double the work. And the leak may extend to a ceiling of another room.
Wonderboard
Contractors in the past have installed waterproof drywall or green board in the bathroom areas and in the showering enclosure which was considered adequate. Today construction procedures mandate the use of a much better material: a concrete substrate panel that can easily withstand water penetration, called “wonderboard” or similar product. This cement panel board is usually screwed into place and than tapped at the joints where the panels meet together, providing a water tight surface. Water cannot penetrate or deteriorate this panel, because it’s made of concrete.
