GFCI Outlet Keeps Tripping? Causes and Fixes
GFCI outlet keeps tripping? Here is what it is telling you.
A GFCI outlet cuts power when it senses current going somewhere it should not, such as through water or a person. It is the most protective outlet in your house, and also the one people most often try to get rid of.
Why GFCIs trip, from most to least common
Moisture is the big one, especially outdoors and in garages. Rain getting into an outdoor outlet, condensation in a garage, or a patio outlet without a proper cover will trip a GFCI. In Houston's humidity this is often the whole story. Outdoor outlets in wet locations should have a weatherproof in-use cover, the kind that stays closed with something plugged in.
A faulty appliance is next. Anything with a heating element or a motor, like a hair dryer, a space heater, a freezer or a pressure washer, can leak a small amount of current as it ages. A GFCI trips at around five milliamps, so it notices long before anything else would. Unplug the appliance and reset: if it holds, the appliance is the problem.
One GFCI often protects several ordinary outlets downstream of it. That is why a bathroom outlet can go dead while its own outlet looks normal: the GFCI that controls it may be in another bathroom, the garage or outside. Press reset on every GFCI you can find before assuming anything is broken.
GFCIs also wear out. If one trips with nothing plugged in, or will not reset at all, it is usually time to replace it. If a new one trips the same way, the fault is in the wiring on that circuit.
- GFCI outlets and breakers tested and replaced
- Dead outlets traced to the GFCI that controls them
- Weatherproof in-use covers for outdoor outlets
- Moisture and wiring faults found and fixed
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GFCI Outlet Keeps Tripping: common questions
Where does code require GFCI protection?
In wet and damp areas: bathrooms, kitchen countertops, garages, laundry areas and outdoor outlets, among others. Newer editions of the electrical code have added more locations over time, so older homes often have fewer than current code expects.
Can I just replace the GFCI with a regular outlet?
No. In those locations GFCI protection is required, and it exists because water and electricity together can kill. If a GFCI keeps tripping, fix the cause rather than removing the protection.
Why is half my bathroom dead but the breaker is fine?
A GFCI upstream of those outlets has probably tripped. Check every bathroom, the garage and outdoor outlets for a tripped reset button.
My outdoor GFCI trips every time it rains. What should I do?
The outlet or its box is taking on water. It usually needs a proper in-use cover, a new weather-resistant outlet, or a sealed box. We can do all three in one visit.
Related: Breaker keeps tripping · Outdoor lighting · Power out? What to check
GFCI trips with nothing plugged in?
That usually means a worn GFCI or a wiring fault. Call and we can tell you which before we drive out.