Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, or GFCIs for short, are incredibly important devices. They’re required to be installed in any room with a water source, like a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room for the simple fact that water and electricity don’t mix.

As you may be able to tell from the name, GFCIs are designed to interrupt the flow of power to an electrical outlet when it detects an imbalance in the current. Most GFCIs can cut power in as little as 1/30th of a second. This is important because electrical current at certain levels can kill a person in as little as two seconds. Since this device is so important, you should take the time to occasionally test the GFCIs in your home. You can do this by plugging something into the outlet and turning it on. Press the little “TEST” button, and if the thing you plugged in turns off, the GFCI did its’ job.