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Debate: Is it smart to use a GFCI breaker instead of a receptacle in a crawlspace?
I ran into this on a job in Raleigh last week. Old house with no easy way to get a GFCI receptacle in the crawlspace because of moisture and dirt. I figured just throw a GFCI breaker in the panel and call it done. Saved me from mounting a box down there and dealing with corrosion. But my partner says breakers are too expensive and you lose the convenience of a reset at the outlet. What do you all think? Am I overthinking this or is he right that it's a waste of money on jobs like this?
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alex5243mo ago
peace of mind" is exactly it. That partner argument about cost is the same thing I see people do all the time in other parts of life, like buying a cheap phone charger that stops working in a month instead of spending a little more for one that lasts years. You're paying for the convenience and the durability upfront, not wasting money. In a crawlspace that's basically a swamp, a breaker just makes sense even if it stings the budget a bit right now.
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piper_dixon453mo ago
Oh man, this is one of those things where it feels like there's two totally valid ways to look at it but they just don't line up. I mean, I get your partner's point about cost, but sometimes saving a few bucks upfront just means more hassle later, you know? It's like in everyday life where you buy the cheap tool and end up replacing it twice as often, versus just getting the good one the first time. For a crawlspace that's gonna be wet and gross, I'd probably go with the breaker too, even if it costs more, just to save that headache of crawling around to reset a corroded outlet. idk, maybe it's just me, but peace of mind is worth something on those jobs.
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