{"id":6318,"date":"2024-01-31T17:20:10","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T17:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/?post_type=blog_post&p=6318"},"modified":"2024-02-02T20:36:43","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T20:36:43","slug":"hud-nspire-january-newsletter-nspire-standard-electrical-gfci-or-afci-outlet-or-breaker","status":"publish","type":"blog_post","link":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/blog-post\/hud-nspire-january-newsletter-nspire-standard-electrical-gfci-or-afci-outlet-or-breaker\/","title":{"rendered":"HUD NSPIRE January Newsletter: NSPIRE STANDARD: Electrical – GFCI or AFCI Outlet or Breaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

NSPIRE STANDARD:<\/strong>
\nElectrical – GFCI or AFCI Outlet or Breaker<\/strong>
\nDeficiency #3:<\/strong>
\nAn unprotected outlet is present within 6 feet of a water source.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

NSPIRE TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT!<\/u><\/strong>
\n\u2018HUD-NSPIRE Demystified: A Deep Dive into the New Inspection Process\u2019<\/strong>
\nTraining begins February 2024<\/u> with multiple options to choose from!<\/strong>
\nClick here to learn more: <\/strong>HUD-NSPIRE Full Training!<\/strong><\/a>
\nEnter code HOLIDAY10 for a 10% discount \u2013 Offer ends January 31st<\/sup>!<\/strong>
\nClick here to see free, downloadable <\/strong>REAC Resources<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

January\u2019s Newsletter discusses the brand-new deficiency, \u201cAn unprotected outlet is present within 6 feet of a water source.\u201d\u00a0 This is deficiency #3 under the Electrical \u2013 GFCI or AFCI Outlet or Breaker Standard<\/a>.
\nThis deficiency will be scored starting October 1st<\/sup><\/strong>, so it\u2019s important to understand where you need them and how many you\u2019ll have to purchase!
\nThis Newsletter will focus on the following 3 primary areas of confusion amongst PHAs\/POAs and inspectors:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Where exactly<\/u><\/em> are GFCI\u2019s (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) required?<\/li>\n
  2. Are there any outlet receptacles that are exempt<\/u><\/em> from the requirement?<\/li>\n
  3. What does \u201cwired in a series\u201d or \u201cprotected by a GFCI upstream\u201d mean?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Where exactly<\/u><\/em> are GFCI\u2019s required?<\/strong>
    \nAs you\u2019re reading the NSPIRE Standards, it\u2019s of the utmost importance<\/u> to understand the difference between i.e. and e.g. HUD has repeatedly defined them during their inspector trainings as:
    \ni.e. = Exactly these and nothing else<\/strong>
    \ne.g. = Examples \u2013 could be more than what is shown<\/strong><\/p>\n

    So why does this matter?!
    \n<\/p>\n

    Example 1:
    \n<\/p>\n

    Answer: Per HUD\u2026.NO! <\/strong>\u00a0It is not one of the 5 water sources identified by HUD requiring outlets within 6 feet to be GFCI protected.<\/strong>
    \nPer National Electric Code? No, not for dwelling units.\u00a0 Per common sense?\u00a0 Absolutely.<\/p>\n

    Example 2:<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    Answer: Per HUD…YES! <\/strong>\u00a0A drinking fountain is considered a \u201cwater faucet.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Are there any outlet receptacles that are exempt<\/u><\/em> from the requirement?<\/strong>
    \nYes \u2013 and this one is complicated\u2026
    \nPer HUD:
    \n
    \nAlso\u2026
    \n
    \nWhat does \u2018dedicated\u2019 mean? Unfortunately, it means different things to different people.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. HUD defines a \u2018dedicated outlet\u2019 as:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n


      \nThis is a terrible definition \u2013 even the QA\u2019s (Quality Assurance) that were conducting the inspector training did not like this definition\u2026because it does not make sense industry-wise or otherwise!<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. The National Electric Code defines a dedicated outlet as a dedicated circuit<\/u><\/em> – \u201cA single circuit that provides power to one appliance. It has its own circuit breaker, which is usually labeled in the electrical box.\u201d<\/li>\n
      2. Many inspectors define \u201cdedicated\u201d as a single outlet receptacle<\/u>\u2026not a duplex.\u00a0 They want to see major appliances plugged into something like this:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        <\/p>\n

        How many refrigerators have you seen plugged into a single receptacle like the image above?!<\/p>\n

        Bottom line?<\/strong>
        \n\u201cDedicated\u201d should mean the CLOSEST OUTLET TO THE MAJOR APPLIANCE but, if we want to win an appeal, that outlet receptacle WILL HAVE TO BE ON A DEDICATED CIRCUIT<\/u> (meaning, if the breaker is shut off, only that outlet will lose power).<\/strong>
        \nExample:
        \n<\/p>\n

        Answer: Per HUD…NO! <\/strong>\u00a0This is the only outlet that the washing machine can be plugged into \u2013 it also happens to be on a dedicated circuit! Outlets in laundry rooms were not required to be GFCI-protected by code until 2014!!!\u00a0 So if your property was built prior to that date, and has never been rehabilitated, then chances are your outlet\u2019s are NOT GFCI protected and that is within NSPIRE\u2019s guidelines. To remind you, PER HUD:<\/strong>
        \n<\/p>\n

        What does \u201cwired in a series\u201d or \u201cprotected by a GFCI upstream\u201d mean? <\/strong><\/p>\n

        Nothing drives me crazier than when a property gets remodeled and EVERY outlet receptacle in the kitchen has its own GFCI and the breaker is ALSO GFCI\u2019d (talk about overkill) \u2013 this is an easy way for contractors to add serious money to a construction project\u2026and the poor borrower never knows to question this.
        \nBoth phrases essentially mean the same thing\u2026one GFCI receptacle is protecting all the standard outlet receptacles \u201cdownstream\u201d from it.
        \n<\/p>\n

        Many inspectors see the standard outlet receptacle within 6 feet of a water source and cite it as \u201cunprotected\u201d when all they had to do was push the little button on the circuit tester!<\/strong><\/p>\n


        \nSide note: This button on the circuit tester will NOT<\/u> work if there is an open ground\u2026you will have to MANUALLY press the test button on the GFCI upstream (or at the breaker panel) to determine whether the outlet is GFCI protected!<\/p>\n

        To subscribe to this free monthly newsletter and read newsletters you may have missed, click here: C4N6 Newsletter Registration and Archive<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        NSPIRE STANDARD: Electrical – GFCI or AFCI Outlet or Breaker Deficiency #3: An unprotected outlet is present within 6 feet of a water source. NSPIRE TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT! \u2018HUD-NSPIRE Demystified: A Deep Dive into the New Inspection Process\u2019 Training begins February 2024 with multiple options to choose from! Click here to learn more: HUD-NSPIRE Full Training! […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6319,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[],"blog-category":[130],"class_list":["post-6318","blog_post","type-blog_post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog-category-hud-assist"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_post\/6318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_post"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog_post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6318"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6318"},{"taxonomy":"blog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c4n6.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-category?post=6318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}