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Electrical
Warranty Coverage (1 to 2 years from the date of original settlement) Your statutory warranty should cover the repair or replacement of any failed electrical component within your condominium. |
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AFCI Breakers (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) |
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AFCI breakers are newly-developed electrical devices designed to protect against fires caused by arcing faults in the home electrical wiring. Annually, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring. Arcing faults are one of the major causes of these fires. When unwanted arcing occurs, it generates high temperatures that can ignite nearby combustibles such as wood, paper, and carpets. Arcing faults often occur in damaged or deteriorated wires and cords. Some causes of damaged and deteriorated wiring include puncturing of wire insulation from picture hanging or cable staples, poorly installed outlets or switches, cords caught in doors or under furniture, furniture pushed against plugs in an outlet, natural aging, and cord exposure to heat vents and sunlight. |
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The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors current flow through the AFCI. AFCIs use unique current sensing circuitry to discriminate between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the control circuitry in the AFCI trips the 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.
The AFCI circuit breaker serves a dual purpose – not only will it shut off electricity in the event of an “arcing fault”, but it will also trip when a short circuit or an overload occurs.
It is recommend to check the operation of your AFCI breakers once a month. You can test the AFCI by pressing the TEST button on the breaker. If the circuit does not trip when the TEST button is pressed, then the AFCI is not working properly. If your AFCI breaker is no longer functioning properly, you should contact your warranty provider. If your warranty period has ended, you should contact a licensed electrician. |
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