Short summary:
Arc fault circuit interrupters can decrease your likelihood of experiencing a residential electrical
fire.
Longer summary:
Equipping a home with smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and escape ladders is the best defense
for keeping loved ones safe from a home fire. But what if you could prevent a fire rather than
just prepare for it? Arc fault circuit interrupters might be the answer.
Word count:
437, not including the sidebars
AFCI Technology: Saving Property and Lives
Equipping a home with smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders is the best
defense for keeping loved ones safe from a home fire. But what if you could prevent a fire
rather than just prepare for it?
“Electrical wiring malfunctions, specifically “arc faults,” cause over 30,000 fires each
year and hundreds of deaths and injuries,” explained __________ (name, title, co-op). “But
advances in electrical technologies are driving down those statistics.”
Arc faults in home wiring are among the leading causes of electrical fires. They occur
when an electrical current arcs or jumps between wires and ignites nearby flammable
materials. This can happen when:

older wires become frayed or cracked,

a nail or screw damages a wire behind a wall,

outlets or circuits are overburdened,

cords are exposed to heat vents and sunlight

furniture is pushed tightly against a cord plugged into a wall outlet
Often unseen, arc faults happen in a split second, igniting a fire that can severely
damage or destroy a home.
The solution to the problem is an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI). This technology is
designed to detect a wide range of arc faults and interrupt the flow of electricity in a split
second, before can arc can ignite a flame. “That split second,” said ________ (name), “can be
the difference between a safe, secure home and one that is destroyed by fire."
AFCIs are not found in wall receptacles, but are incorporated into your home’s main
electrical service panel in the form of special circuit breakers. Existing breakers can easily be
replaced with AFCI-equipped breakers, now required by the National Electrical Code for new
electrical wiring that serves all sleeping areas.
What about traditional fuses and circuit breakers? They simply do not respond quickly
enough to early arcing and sparking in home wiring. By the time a fuse or circuit breaker opens
a circuit, a fire may have already begun.
What about a GFCI? A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is a specially equipped wall
outlet that senses when electricity strays from its intended path, through a person for example.
It interrupts the flow of electricity before a person can be electrocuted. They are not designed,
however, to disconnect an entire circuit when an arc fault occurs.
AFCIs should be installed by a qualified electrician and should be tested monthly to
ensure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.
“These advances in technology offer added protection from potentially hazardous
situations for a relatively small investment.” added ________ (name), “As you consider home
improvements and upgrades, consider enhancing the protection of your electrical system with
AFCIs.”
(Co-op boilerplate)
###
Sources:
Electrical Safety Foundation International
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Sidebar #1 (75 words)
AFCI vs. GFCI
AFCI – Arch Fault Circuit Interrupter, a specially designed circuit breaker that monitors the flow
of electricity on an entire circuit in your home. It interrupts the flow of electricity when an arc,
or jumping of electric current, is detected.
GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, a wall outlet equipped with technology to sense when
the flow of electricity deviates from its intended path. By interrupting the flow of electricity, it
prevents a person from being electrocuted.
Sidebar #2 (46 words)
Recommended by UL and CPSC
In 1992, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) contracted with Underwriters
Laboratory (UL) to research and evaluate technology that could reduce residential fires. UL
identified arcing faults as one of the primary hazards and recommended that AFCIs be used to
reduce the risk of fire associated with arcing faults.