12/18/2025
This is the difference between a handyman and an actual electrician: if you know how to fix things but dont know why it needs to be fixed then….you need more training!
To gauge the effectiveness of AFCIs in homes, survey respondents were asked about responding to AFCI service calls. Of the contractors surveyed, 100% saw evidence of dangerous arcing when responding to an AFCI-related service call, while 58% of service calls involved tripped breakers or fuses. According to respondents, the percent of tripped breakers by breaker type of fuse, included standard circuit breakers: 30%, fuses: 24%, AFCI breakers: 17%, GFCI breakers: 15%, and dual function AFCI/GFCI breakers: 14%. Many respondents noted that the majority of circuit breaker trips were caused by the device working as intended. These trips prevented a serious problem that could have resulted in loss of life or property. Common mistakes that survey respondents encountered while checking on tripped overcurrent protection included inadequate circuit protection, overloaded circuits, wiring issues, and surge protection.
