What is GFCI and Why is it Important?

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, ESFi, each day 7 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for electrical shock or burn injuries caused by wall outlets.

GFCIs can save your life - read why here:

What is a GFCI?

GFCI is an acronym for a Ground Fault Circuit Interrrupter. It's an inexpensive electrical component used as a safety measure that can be installed in your home to protect people from electric shock and appliances from overheating and causing fires in case of a Ground Fault. 

The National Electrical Code has set requirements for GFCIs in places such as the exteriors, bathrooms, kitchens, laundry and utility sinks, and whenever the outlet is near water. However, these only apply to new construction and major renovations. Homes built prior to these requirements are likely without GFCI protection. 

What is a Ground Fault?

A Ground Fault occurs when there is a disturbance in an electric circuit between the intended path of the current's travel. Ground faults can be the result of a damaged or defective tool being plugged in, bad appliances or bulbs, touching water that touches electricity or live wires. The electrical current takes the unintended path through the user, causing burns, injury or even death. 

How does a GFCI work?

It does just as the name suggests: Interrupts the Ground Fault. A GFCI is a fast acting circuit breaker that detects when the electrical current has been interrupted by any imbalance and is designed to shut off (trip) the electrical power in a fraction of one second. When properly installed and maintained, GFCIs will interrupt power before electricity even has a chance to reach a person's heart and create electrical accidents. 

GFCI Protection

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), "The GFCI will not protect you from line contact hazards (i.e. a person holding two "hot" wires, a hot and a neutral wire in each hand, or contacting an overhead power line)." Nonetheless, GFCIs are inexpensive added safety measures that protect families from common electrical hazards.  

We recommend homeowners take proactive steps to protect their family and their home and upgrade their system with GFCI protection.  You may already have GFCI receptacles in your home. You can usually identify these by their push buttons that say "reset" and "test." If you're unsure if your home has circuit-breaker and receptacle-type GFCI protection, you can contact a home inspector to find out. All installations should be completed by a qualified electrician; you should not attempt to install yourself.



Structure Inspections checks for GFCIs in every inspection and recommends upgrades when needed. Our experienced inspectors remain current with building practices to provide the best home inspection and commercial inspections in Ventura County, northern Los Angeles, and the Santa Barbara area. We are just a phone call away from taking care of your next inspection! Call us today at (805) 815 - 3000. 

Problems with Drones for Home Inspections

There are many articles about drones transforming the way home inspectors conduct roof top inspections. Inspecting roofs that under ordinary circumstances would be impossible for an inspector to view seems promising with this new technology. But every tool has its uses and issues. 

As a home inspection company that uses a DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ Drone as a tool for commercial and residential inspections in and around Ventura County, we can assert that in fact, there are problems with the use of drones for inspections. 

Drones can cause Injury or Property Damage

While the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ can be used with Ground Station that allows it to fly itself so the inspector can focus on the camera, it is still missing one thing: autonomy. 

No matter how advanced they are - drones don't have brains. They are unable to sense when they are coming in contact with people, buildings, trees, power lines or something other. It relies on the accuracy of the inspector to fly it properly or set its GPS traveling points. An inexperienced pilot can easily crash a drone causing injury to people or property damage.

Even experienced inspectors can have trouble piloting a drone...

Drones become Unstable with Wind

The atmosphere can be unstable. Windy conditions, including updrafts, are common in areas like Ventura County and drones can become difficult to navigate if caught in one. Unstable winds can pull a drone up and out of sight quickly making it difficult to steer before it crashes on the roof or elsewhere. We've experienced safe flights in wind speeds 9mph and under. After that point, drones become a little more difficult to maneuver and control. We deem wind speeds (or current gusts) above 17mph unfitting conditions for flying a drone.

Invasion of Privacy Issue

Although an invasion of privacy complaint is unlikely - it's possible. Therefore it should be a reason to think twice when close to other buildings or people. In California it's prohibited (and expensive) to capture images of property or people without permission with any device, including drones. You may have permission to inspect a particular roof top, however, what about their neighbors? If the property is in close proximity to another, you run the risk of capturing unauthorized video or images of something or someone which can cost you a minimum of $5,000 in fines. 

A way to steer clear of this liability is to fly the drone very low and close to the roof being inspected to avoid capturing anything else. This poses a problem with homes in heavy populated cities, including Oxnard, where some homes are less than 10 feet apart in certain areas. Use of drones is ideal for remote areas, such as a Simi Valley or Moorpark ranch.


As such, our inspectors do not use their drone in heavily populated areas or under an unfitting wind condition in an effort to avoid injury, damage or privacy issues. 

While still under review, the use drones for commercial gain is currently illegal because of safety concerns, including those mentioned in this post. You can check out InterNachi's FAA concerns to learn more.

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ drone is a great tool that helps inspectors when a roof is really inaccessible by ladder. We use a drone as an added tool for our inspectors and do not charge extra. We will continue to use it only under proper conditions or until use is banned altogether. Every tool has its uses and issues, and it's an inspector's duty to know when it is safe or hazardous to operate a drone.

As new technology emerges, we will be some of the first to try it, because we're always looking for ways to provide more efficient services. Stay tuned for our update on the Eye-Stick, a new innovative way to inspect roof tops and crawlspaces from the convenience of standing on the ground.

Get a Home Inspection during National Home Inspection Month

Whether you’re buying or selling a house, or just a current homeowner looking to maintain your home, you'll benefit from a home inspection. A home inspection by Structure Inspections is your reliable source of information to ensure that your current – or future – home is in the best condition possible.  This April, take part in National Home Inspection Month. 

Home Buyers: Home inspections help buyers uncover potential problems with the property of interest and negotiate the best possible price when undisclosed issues are found.

Home Sellers: Home inspections help sellers learn more about their property and address problems before the buyer gets discouraged with the sale.  Fixing issues found during a seller’s inspection helps sellers negotiate top dollar for their property.

Homeowners: Homeowners benefit from getting a home inspection even when they have no interest in selling since it’s important to keeping the home in good shape.  Maintaining a home is far less expensive than repairing it, and the cost of a check up inspection can help identify potential issues early on and save you money.

Structure Inspections’ inspectors have your best interest in mind. Our goal is to give you the most accurate information possible regarding the current condition of the home to help you make informed decisions.  With 20 years of experience in the field, you can trust that we will help you move forward. There is no better time to schedule a home inspection than this April, during National Home Inspection Month, when you will receive 10% off our already competitively low prices!

Get a quote, or schedule your home inspection in Ventura County, Los Angeles or Santa Barbara by calling (805) 815-3000 or e-mailing us at info@structure-inc.com.

Cannot be combined with any other discounts, vouchers, or offers.  By appointment only, subject to availability. Valid for any home inspections scheduled and completed between April 1, 2015 through April 30th, 2015.