Audible Alarm GFCI For Sump Pumps and Other Appliances
Many homeowners have sump pumps in their basements to prevent flooding in their homes. These sump pumps require a dedicated line and a dedicated GFCI outlet for safe operation. Often times, a power outage or some sort of overload can trip a GFCI without our knowledge, causing whatever big device/appliance (in this case, a sump pump) to shut off and stop working. If you don’t have a sump pump or aren’t familiar with one, this device is crucial for preventing flooding, water damage, and mold and mildew problems in basements. Sump pumps work by removing ground water near the foundation of the home. That said, wouldn’t it be nice to get alerted when your GFCI outlet has tripped so that your sump pump or any other appliance that needs to be ran 24/7 can be kept on at all times? Well, look no further, because there is a solution: an audible alarm GFCI!
What Is An Audible Alarm GFCI?
Audible alarm GFCIs are outlets with an audible sound that will emit when the GFCI trips. A GFCI can trip for various reasons: water/moisture intrusion in the outlet, overloading power to the circuit with too many appliances or devices, faulty device/appliance, bad GFCI, etc.
Why Do I Need An Audible Alarm GFCI?
These special GFCIs make it so much easier to know when your outlet has tripped to save you headaches. Simple as that. Having an audible sound on your GFCI makes it easier to know when the power for your appliances has been cut off so that you can get it back on to avoid flooding, water damage, or even spoiled food.
For example, if your GFCI for your sump pump in your basement trips without knowing and there is a big rain storm, chances are your basement will get flooded because your sump pump isn’t on anymore! The GFCI powering your sump pump will stop supplying power to the sump pump because of whatever caused it to trip. Imagine coming down to a dry basement from a big rainstorm because just two days ago, a loud sound alerted you that the GFCI tripped. You were then able to reset the GFCI so that the sump pump could continue working when it needed to!
Audible alarm GFCIs aren’t just for sump pumps. If you have a big stand-alone chest freezer and/or fridge in your garage or basement, an audible alarm GFCI is a must-have. Imagine coming down to take out some frozen steaks and your GFCI tripped your freezer three days before. You go to open up the freezer only to find all of your food is spoiled! There goes a thousand or more dollars worth of food down the drain. If only you could have heard a sound coming from the freezer area alerting you that the GFCI had tripped and needed to be reset or diagnosed/replaced by a licensed electrician…all of that food would have still been frozen.
Who Can Install An Audible Alarm GFCI?
A licensed and insured electrician can install your audible alarm GFCI for any appliance that needs to always be running. Areas in your home that may need an audible alarm GFCI are those that you aren’t necessarily in everyday (think garage, shed, basement, etc.) and/or that power major appliances 24/7: sump pumps, extra refrigerators/freezers, medical equipment, etc.
A licensed and insured electrician has the wiring knowledge and the hands-on experience to install any and all types of GFCIs. Electricians also have the proper tools on-hand to ensure your audible alarm GFCI is installed up-to-code for safety and compliance.
The master electricians at KB Electric LLC install many GFCIs and can install your audible alarm GFCI. Call us today to get on our schedule! (267) 467-3178.